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94
D.-THE HOUSING QUESTION.
The housing policy of the Finsbury Borough Council was set out in
detail in my Report for 1901. One portion of that policy concerned
the work of the London County Council, under Part I of the
Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890. The other portion
had to do in the main with Part II of that Act and the sanitary
improvement of house accommodation generally.
The Housing Problem became most acute in Finsbury during
the last quarter of last century, and in my former Reports I have
dealt in some detail with the attempts which have been made at
solution. The evil condition of things formerly existing was
revealed at the time of the Royal Commission on the Housing of
the Poor in 1885, and in various Reports of the two Vestries of
Clerkenwell and St. Luke, and I need not therefore discuss that
side of the question.
The attempts at solution were mainly three. First, by
representation to the London County Council in 1897, and the
taking over by that Council of various extensive and highly
insanitary areas; secondly, somewhat similar work of the Borough
Council in small areas; and thirdly, the work of the Borough
Council in sanitary improvement and reduction of overcrowding.
1. The areas undertaken by the London County Council
formed two schemes, namely, the Aylesbury Place Area Scheme and
the Garden Row Area Scheme. The latter included four small areas
designated Garden Row, Roby Street, Baltic Street and Honduras Street.
The representations were made in respect of Aylesbury Place Area
in 1897, the inquiry was held in 1900, and closures commenced in
that year. The representation was held in respect of the Garden
Row Areas in 1899, the inquiry was held in 1900, and closures
commenced in 1901.