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is to be attained, is uniform action on the part of the Borough Councils, to which end it seems
to me essential that there should be by-laws or regulations framed by the County Council, as
Central Authority, in consultation with the Borough Councils—such by-laws, or regulations to
be subject to confirmation by the Local Government Board. With this preface, I submit the
special report above referred to as follows : —
"The Factory and Workshop Act, 1901: Bakehouses.—Regarded from the public health
point of view, probably no part of the new Act is of more immediate or greater interest to the
sanitary authority than that relating to bakehouses. As respects London, the defects of the
places where bread is made are largely dependent on two factors; (1) that the premises were not
constructed for the purpose, and (2) that they are underground. Ere long the Borough Councils
will have to face the question whether these underground premises are sanitarily 'suitable'
When the Factory and Workshop Act, 1895, became law, it was hoped that (by sub-section (3)
of section 27) a step towards the abolition of underground bakehouses had been achieved; but
this hope was not realised; and although the defect in the sub-section had been demonstrated,
under circumstances to be related later on, the Act of 1901 did nothing to immediately secure
the desired object. But there is hope in the future, and I wish to draw the attention of the Council
to the matter while yet there is time to avoid, in respect of bakehouses, the fatal mistake resulting
from the inaction of the sanitary authorities, between 1856-1873, in regard to private
slaughter-houses. The Metropolis Buildings Act, 1844, section 55, made provision for the discontinuance
in London of certain offensive businesses, including that of a slaughterer of cattle,
at the end of thirty years; but public abattoirs not having been established, the private slaughterhouses
obtained a new lease*—under conditions, it must in fairness be admitted, which mitigated
the danger to public health from their existence, often in crowded and insanitary localities.
But to return. It would appear that by section 101 of the new Act, the legislature intended
to confer power on 'District Councils' throughout England and Wales, enabling them to close,
in January, 1904, insanitary underground bakehouses, which are in large measure (I think)
peculiar to London. But if this is to be done, steps to that end should be inaugurated forthwith—in
justice to the trade, and in the interests of public health—for the underground bakehouses
(and the majority of bakehouses in London are underground) will surely not be closed,
however unsuitable they may be, if steps be not taken, soon, to provide substitute establishments
above ground.
"Before proceeding further it may be well to explain the course of legislation in regard
to this matter. By The Bakehouse Regulation Act, 1863, bakehouses were first brought under
a measure of control by the sanitary authorities; and if no material structural improvement
resulted from such powers of supervision as were then conferred, at least some effort was made,
by periodical inspection, to ensure cleanliness of the premises. In 1879, by the Factory and
Workshop Act, 1878 (the ' Principal Act'), control of the bakehouses was taken from the sanitary
authorities, and handed over to the factory inspector—apparently with a view to the protection
of '\young persons' employed thereat.t The result was disastrous. The factory inspectors, two
or three in number, at the most, in London, were unable to discharge the duties which had been
carried out, more or less satisfactorily, by numerous sanitary officers, and the bakehouses fell
into a deplorable condition, some account of which was given in my annual report for 1881
(page 109) in the form of extracts from a report by an assistant factory inspector. In Kensington
the sanitary inspectors continued their supervision of bakehouses, in 1879 and subsequently,
with manifest advantage; but to a large extent in London generally, such supervision practically
ceased to be exercised. The evils resulting from change of authority, at last became so patent
that reversion to the original system was inevitable. In 1881, the (then) Chief Factory Inspector
recommended that the duty of enforcing the provisions of law should be transferred, in London,
from the factory inspectors, who could not do the work, to the Metropolitan Board of Works,
a body which had neither medical officer nor sanitary inspectors ; thus ignoring the sanitary
authorities who, in all other parts of the kingdom, were recognised, by him, to be the proper
bodies for the purpose. In 1881 I reported} on the subject to the late Yestry, as follows: —
'The manufacture of bread, as carried on ordinarily, by semi-nude men, is open to
objection, and this should be put an end to by a law requiring the substitution of machinery
for manual labour. By-laws should be framed; to regulate the construction of bakehouses
and flour stores; to provide for cleanliness, by cemented and painted walls, and by impermeable
floors furnishing no holes for insects, and to secure light, ventilation, &c. There
should be no drain inlet within the bakehouse, and no other possible source of nuisance
within reach of it To sum up, what is required is a Bakehouse Regulation
Act, providing for the licensing of bakehouses, and conferring on sanitary authorities the
power of regulating the trade by by-laws, uniform for the Metropolis, dealing
with—
' (1) The position and construction, including lighting and ventilation of bakehouses ;
' (2) The periodical cleansing of the premises; and
' (3) The materials and utensils employed in the manufacture of bread.'
* By the passing of the Slaughter Houses (Metropohs) Act, 1874.
†See Annual Keport for 1879, page 79. ‡ Annual Keport for 1881, page 112.