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69
effectually prevent through ventilation on the ground floor But so
extensive have such buildings become, in certain cases, that a large
portion of the open space originally existing between the street
backs has been filled in. The houses thus become, practically
speaking, back-to-back houses. Moreover, the immediate proximity
of some kinds of workshops to dwelling houses readily give rise to
nuisances of various kinds.
Here then are two general conditions prevailing somewhat widely
in Finsbury and directly affecting the house property in the
Borough. First, the invasion of "self-contained" houses by an
industrial population for whose accommodation the houses have
been let in tenements. Secondly, the growth of warehouse and
workshop accommodation. The latter often in back yards, the
former appearing as a large block of premises in immediate proximity
to dwelling houses.
We may now briefly consider the features of house property in
Finsbury, which are so largely due directly or indirectly to these
two conditions:—
The majority of inhabitable houses are chiefly of two or three
storeys, situated in the narrow streets and alleys off the
main thoroughfares. Many of them are old cottages,
showing signs of decay. Each house generally contains
two rooms, one on the ground floor and one above, the
communicating staircase being situated in the ground floor
room, into which also the door from the street directly
opens. They mostly have small back yards. These houses
are generally occupied by single families, but in some cases
by two, though from their arrangement they are ill-adapted
for this purpose. The houses of three storeys are chiefly in
the larger thoroughfares. They generally contain an
entrance passage, and two rooms, one behind the other, on
each floor. In nearly all instances such houses are
occupied by members of more than one family, even if the
ground floor is used as a shop. The better class houses of
this character are rented by one tenant, who sub-lets. The
poorer class houses are let in separate tenements, and there