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66
THE WORK OF THE LADY INSPECTORS.
(Factory and Workshop Act, 1901.)
Subjoined will be found the report of the lady inspectors of workshops, workplaces and laundries
where women are employed, and the report of the chief sanitary inspector, comprising information
which, by section 132 of the Act, is required to be set out in the annual report of the Medical Officer
of Health. In connexion with the first-named report.it may be mentioned that it was in Kensington
that the services of women were first enlisted in the work of sanitary administration. The seed
planted in 1893 has prospered, for already the City of London and 21 of the 29 Borough Councils have
appointed women inspectors; and, ere long, it may be anticipated that such appointments will be
made in the remaining boroughs; the conference of delegates of the borough councils, convened by
the County Council, and held in July last at the County Hall, having passed an unanimous
resolution expressive of the opinion "that female inspectors should be employed in each borough."
The circumstances under which the first appointments in Kensington came to be made, being
probably unknown to the majority of the Council, may be thought deserving of mention.
The Factory and Workshop Act, 1891, had transferred to the Health authority certain
powers and duties in regard to the supervision of premises where women are employed, previously
vested in the factory inspectors; and both in 1891 and 1892, cases of overcrowding had been
brought to my attention by Her late Majesty's Superintending Inspector of Workshops. On this
account, and, generally, in the discharge of the new duties imposed on the sanitary staff, many visits
were made to workshops in the occupation of dressmakers, milliners, and ladies' tailors, especially
in South Kensington ; and to laundries in North Kensington, with the result of satisfying me of the
necessity for systematic inspection, and that some of the duties involved were of too special and
delicate a nature to be properly discharged by male inspectors. The matter was brought to the
attention of the Sanitary Authority in a report dated June 26th, 1893, which was referred to the
Sanitary Committee, who shortly afterwards recommended the tentative appointment of two ladies
to inspect and supervise workshops, workplaces, and laundries where women were employed. The
recommendation was adopted in July, and in the following October the first appointments were
made, of Miss Deane and Miss Squire, ladies who quickly justified the selection of the Sanitary
Authority. With their assistance a register and other forms were settled. One of the first points
requiring consideration was that of cubic space. Overcrowding obviously existed in many of the
workrooms, but there was no standard for our guidance in dealing with the nuisance. With
the approval of the Vestry, air-space was required in the proportion of 250 cubic feet for each
worker; an amount subsequently legalised by Section 3 of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901.
Impiovements were effected in many workshops in regard to means of warming and ventilation,
cleanliness, sanitary conveniences, etc.; and at the end of the probationary period of six months,
the Vestry were so satisfied with the work done, that it was unanimously resolved to renew the
appointments of the lady inspectors. Miss Deane, however, was unable to accept re-appointment
having been selected by the Home Secretary for appointment as a lady factory inspector, a position
which also had been created in 1893. The vacancy thus created was filled by the election of
Miss Duncan, a capable inspector, now doing good work at Sydney, New South Wales, in a
capacity corresponding to that of factory inspector. The vacancy caused by this lady's retirement,
in 1895, was not filled up, much to my regret. In 1896, Miss Squire, having been appointed to the
position of factory inspector, was succeeded by Miss de Chaumont, who worked alone for five
years. In 1901, I recommended the appointment of a second inspector; the Public Health
Committee endorsed the recommendation, and Miss Looker was elected. The status of Sanitary
Inspector was conferred on Miss Squire when re-appointed, in 1895, her appointment being
confirmed by the Local Government Board, as were those of Miss de Chaumont and Miss Looker.
The ladies appointed in 1893, were, on the whole, well, and increasingly well, received by the
occupiers of workshops; some of whom, at first, had been disposed to resent a supervision to which
they had not been accustomed; for inspection of workshops, prior to 1893, was necessarily infrequent,
the factory inspectors being few in number. Whatever difficulties existed were speedily surmounted,
and now, not only are the visits of the inspectors received with cordiality, but the occupiers of
workshops, having become acquainted with the law, show an increasing willingness to conform to its
requirements. Overcrowding, the most frequent cause of complaint at the first going-off, is rarely
found now, whilst much has been done to improve sanitary conditions at workshops, and to increase
the comfort of workers.