Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Forty-ninth annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Borough of Islington
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194
1904]
Public Health Department,
Town Hall, Islington,
October 31st, 1904.
QUEENSLAND ROAD AREA.
A. E. Harris, Esq.,
Medical Officer of Health.
Dear Sir,
The house-to-house inspection of the Queensland Road Area being now completed, we
beg to submit to you our report thereon.
The area comprises Queensland Road, Victoria Place, Albert Place, Emily Place, and
Queen's Square.
By reference to the attached list, you will observe that the inspections have been tabulated
so as to simplify the report. In Queensland Road 76 houses have been inspected; 18 in Albert
Place, 7 in Emily Place, 12 in Queen's Square, and 17 in Victoria Place. The hous's in these
four streets are smaller than the majority in Queensland Road, consisting of four, five, and
six rooms.
Although in many cases the rooms are fully occupied, and in some contain the maximum
number of occupants, yet we found comparatively little legal overcrowding, there being discovered
6 one-roomed tenements overcrowded in Queensland Road, 1 one-roomed tenement, and
1 four-roomed tenement in Queen's Square; 1 one-roomed tenement, and 1 two-roomed tenement
in Emily Place. These have nearly all been abated.
In some cases, although occupiers had ample room, the sleeping accommodation was badly
arranged, so that full advantage of available space had not been taken, and better arrangements
were promised when this was pointed out. As an instance of this, it was found that
in one tenement of two rooms, one only was in occupation by the 3 adults comprising the
family, the other not being used. In another instance, a four-roomed house was occupied by
7 adults (1 family) 4 of whom were sleeping in one room and three in another.
Several of the houses were found to be in a bad state of repair, and many required cleansing.
Some of the floors, windows, yards, etc., which should be cleansed by the tenants, were
noticeably neglected.
Some of the houses are let out as furnished rooms at rents varying from 6s. 6d. to 7s. 6d.
per week per room. In Queensland Road 101 one-roomed tenements are thuja let, and 2 tworoomed
tenements, and in Albert Place 8 one-roomed tenements are similarly let. The average
number of occupants in Queensland Road is:—
For one room, 2 adults and 1 child (actually 1.61 adults, 0.54 children).
For two rooms, 2 adults and 3 children (actually 2.21 adults, 2.64 children).
For three rooms, 3 adults and 2 children (actually 3.0 adults, 2.0 children).
For four rooms, 4 adults and 3 children (actually 4.0 adults, 2.25 children).
In Albert Place the average number per house (four rooms) is 4 adults and 4 children (4.77
adults and 2.44 children).