London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Finsbury 1911
Report on the public health of Finsbury for the year 1911
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136
accustomed to its settled overcrowded arrangements, that much
objection is raised to any change.
The conditions of the tenements were: Walls verminous (15),
bedding verminous (16), pictures verminous (14), and walls dirty
in 31 cases.
Notices were served for these and other nuisances.
It is difficult sometimes to appreciate the stress on room
accommodation that is experienced in the poorer quarters of the
Borough. By way of il'ustration the rooms, occupants, cubic
space, and disposition for sleeping purposes are given below in
such a house where each floor is occupied by one family, and
consists of a back and a front room.
Each tenement, therefore, consists of two rooms, and the kitchen is used for living and sleeping:—
| Floor. | Room. | Cubic Space. | Occupied at night by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basement | Front | 1,008 c. ft. | Father and mother. |
| Basement | Back | 536 c. ft. | Girls 16, 13, 5 years. |
| Ground | Front | 926 c. ft. | Father, mother, boy 1 year. |
| Ground | Back | 684 c. ft. | Girls 13, 9 years. Boys 11, 7, 4 years. One bed. |
| First | Front | 1,287 c- ft- | Father, mother, baby 3 weeks. |
| First | Back | 684 c. ft. | Girls 11,9 years boy 10 years. |
| Second | Front | 1,160 c. ft. | Father, mother, boy 1 year. |
| Second | Back | 622 c. ft. | Boys 13, To, 3 years. |
It is difficult to know how to deal effectively and satisfactorily
with overcrowding. It is contrary to all humane considerations
to have the family ejected at a few days' notice. The practice
in this Borough is to exercise pressure to secure abatement as