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under arches, the total number of homeless persons being 1,797.
On the same night, 23,442 persons slept in common lodginghouses,
of whom 21,058 were single men, 1,517 were single women,
and 390 were married couples. There were also in such houses 54
boys and 33 girls below 16 years of age. The number of vacant
beds in common lodging-houses on that night was 6,074, this total
being made up as follows—5,365 unoccupied beds for men, 603 for
women, and 53 for married couples.
"The results of the census on February 17th, 1905, which
covered the Metropolis generally, are shown in the following
extracts from the report of the Council's medical officer of health :-
" 1,869 men and 312 women were found in the streets or
on staircases, or under arches, or 2,181 in all; of these 827
men and 39 women were in Wych Street, Strand, where food
was being given away by the Salvation Army, and 161 men
and 60 women in Whitechapel Road, where food was also
being given away by the Salvation Army. In a tent of the
Church Army, in Clare Market, Strand, 300 men were, or had
been, chopping wood. These men had received two meals
during the night, and were given tickets for beds in common
lodging-houses. The tickets, however, were not available for
use until the following night, so that 300 men should be added
to the total. There were also 64 men in premises of the
Salvation Army in Wych Street, who subsequently were
admitted into the Salvation Army shelter in Millbank Street.
These are not therefore regarded as homeless."
The medical officer points out that in the common lodginghouses
and shelters that night there were 23,690 persons, viz.,
21,254 single men, 1,688 single women, 357 married couples and
34 children under 10 years of age. His report proceeds :—
" Among the inmates of the common lodging-houses were
1,600 men who had been given tickets for their lodging by the
Church Army.
" The same night there was vacant accommodation in the
common lodging-houses for 4,610 men, 856 women and 62
married couples.
" There was also vacant accommodation in the casual
wards for 337 men, 213 women and 117 women and children.
" The number (2,481) of homeless persons found on the
night of 17th February, 1905, is greater by 684 than the
number found on the 29th January, 1904, but the fact that
the Church Army gave away 1,600 tickets for beds, and the
Salvation Army gave free beds to 64 persons, suggests a
difference as large as 2,348. In the districts not included in
the first census 196 persons were found.