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22
Artizans' Dwellings Act, 1875, for the improvement of the area, and
as it appeared that to make a complete scheme it was desirable that
some property should be dealt with which was not included in the
area represented, Dr. Griffith was communicated with on the
subject. This property consisted of houses in Pear Tree Court,
Yates Rents, Clerkenwell Close, and Cromwell Place, and was in
such a condition as to justify him in making further representation
with regard to it, and this he did on 4th November, 1876. On these
two representations the scheme of the Board was based.
Condition of the Area—The majority of the houses in
the area had no through ventilation and no back yards. The
rooms in the houses were generally small and very dark. The
means of ventilation of the whole area were restricted by the
existence of one side of the high blank wall belonging to the House
of Detention. In many of the houses the water-closets and water
supply were both situated in the cellars, and, especially in Pear
Tree Court, the houses were old and dilapidated, with rotten roofs.
Some of the houses in Clerkenwell Close were built partly of brick
and partly of wood, with water-closets and water supply far away
from them. These half wood and half brick houses were probably
the last of their kind in London. In most cases single rooms were
occupied by one family. The death rate was stated by Dr. Griffith
to be about 37 per 1,000 in the area, as against 23'5 per 1,000 for the
parish of Clerkenwell.
The scheme prepared by the Board for the improvement of the
area was approved and sealed in pursuance of the resolution of
27th October, 1876. The necessary advertisements were then
issued and a petition forwarded to the Secretary of State, who
thereupon directed the holding of a local inquiry. Mr. D. Cubitt
Nichols was appointed to hold this inquiry, which took place before
him on 28th March to 12th April, 1877. Consequent on the report
of this inquiry, the Secretary of State issued a provisional order,
dated 17th May, 1877, by which the scheme was confirmed subject
to the exclusion of some dozen properties in Pear Tree Court, such
properties not being deemed necessary for the due carrying out of
the scheme. The scheme as framed, and as (with the above