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"Overcrowding.—In North Kensington 6 rooms only were found to be overcrowded, and
none seriously; while in South Kensington 56 cases were recorded. In several instances
infringement of the law was persistent. Written intimations having been sent, on re-inspection
the nuisance was found to have been abated for the time, only to recur on subsequent occasions.
The premises in question are being kept under observation, and should an infringement of the law
age-in be observed further proceedings will be advised.
"Sanitary Conveniencies, &c.—1.18 water-closets, found to be either dirty, or dilapidated,
or defective in water supply, were renovated, more or less satisfactorily. One closet with no
direct light or ventilation to the outer air was abolished, and one found to be directly supplied
from the drinking water cistern was provided with a separate flushing cistern. In three casea
defective drains of workshops were reconstructed.
"Defective Workshops, Yards, &c.—At many of the registered premises, chiefly laundries
in North Kensington, roofs and floors were found in a defective state. In some of the laundries
in Kensal New Town, the washhouses were found to be roofed only by the floor of the ironing
room above, thus allowing the steam to penetrate and render the boards rotten and unsafe.
These washhouses have now all been matchboarded; in one case the floor of the laundry above
was almost entirely renewed. In one street in the North district, mostly composed of laundries,
the staircases in the houses on one side of the street are very awkwardly constructed, and during
the past six years no less than five accidents have occurred, in different laundries, from slipping
on the stairs. The attention of the owner having been called to the fact, he contended that
the stairs belonged to the houses, and were not intended to be used by the workers, there being
an outside staircase from the laundry to the yard. As the clothes have to be taken from the
laundry to the packing room on the same floor, it is hardly to be expected that the employer
should wish the finished work to be taken (especially in bad weather) down these outside stairs
through the yard and washhouse, and up the inside stairs to a room next the laundry, when it
could be done in a few seconds by opening the communicating door between the laundry and
the house and ascending three or four steps. We are pleased to report that we have reason to
believe the owner is now willing to make an alteration at one house, as a trial, and we trust,
if this proves satisfactory, he will eventually carry out a similar alteration at the others.
Numerous yards and washhouse floors were levelled and repaired, and in two cases, in the
North district, the latter were drained by means of a channel through the wall into the yard
gully. In one laundry, in the South district, in which the washing is carried on in the basement,
the back washhouse was found to be without either light or ventilation from the outer
air, the floor being composed of rotting boards. The premises were visited by the Medical
Officer of Health, and deemed by him to be unfit for the purposes of laundry work. The use
of this room was therefore discontinued and all work is now carried on in the front basement
room. Several staircases leading to workrooms were repaired, having been found dilapidated
and unsafe, and in two cases (laundries) almost entirely renewed.
"Ventilation and Warming of Workrooms.—These matters chiefly concern the workrooms
in the South district, where 91 dressmaking workrooms were found either insufficiently
warmed, or wanned in such a manner, by open gas jets, as to impair the purity of the air.
In one large establishment six of the workrooms were found on a very cold day with no means
of warming, the temperature being 48° to 50° F. In the remaining workrooms gas jets were
used. We are happy to be able to report, that, at our instance, the chimneys and grates were
put in order, and the workers now benefit by good fires in all the rooms. At another large
business premises, recently rebuilt, five large workrooms were found with one gas stove only in
each room, and so placed, at one end, that a portion only of the room derived any benefit, the
temperature, even at this part, being only 42° to 46°. The manager, on our representation of
the facts, at once caused extra stoves to be placed at the opposite end of each room, and the
temperature at the last inspection was found to average 60°. Numerous written intimations
were sent re ventilation, especially to the proprietors of dressmaking and tailoring businesses.
In one case windows not made to open were sashed, thus rendering the workroom, in the basement,
more healthy for the occupants. In several other workrooms gas iron-heaters were either
removed from the room, or properly ventilated by means of a hood and flue, or placed in a grate.
Much, however, remains to be done to improve the ventilation of workrooms at present warmed
only by open gas-jets. On a cold day in December at one large dressmaking establishment, at
which from 60 to 80 women and girls were employed, the 7 workrooms were found with no
other means of warming than these gas-jets, the air being close and oppressive. It is unfortunately
the case that the local authority has now no power to enforce the law regarding
'reasonable temperature' of a workroom, this being the duty of the factory inspector, the
ventilation merely being under the control of the local authority.
"Infectious Disease.—Notifiable cases of illness occurred at twelve workshops or houses
connected therewith; viz.: Diphtheria—at a dressmaker's in the South district, and at 3 laundries
in the North district; Scarlet Fever—at a dressmaker's, 5 laundries, and 2 tailors, all in the
North district. In all cases but one, the patient was at once removed to hospital, and, after
disinfection of the premises, work proceeded as usual. In the case nursed at home (child of a