View report page

99
A report was issued by the Medical Officer of Health for
the Borough of Islington, that Caramel wrapping was being
carried on, for trade purposes, by certain outworkers dwelling
within that Borough under conditions unsatisfactory, possibly
dangerous to health. He reported finding quite small children,
some of whom were only 5 years of age, putting on the wrappers,
and that in one family the children were put to work immediately on
their return from school and were kept working until 9 or 10 o'clock
at night. In one case a boy recovering from a recent illness was
sitting up in bed at work, the wrapping being done on the bed.
The Islington Borough Council brought these facts to the knowledge
of the Secretary of State and intination has been given that an
Order is proposed to be made by the Secretary of State adding this
class of work to the list of specified trades to which the provisions of
Sec. 107-110 of the Factory Act apply.
During 1911, the names and addresses of 749 outworkers
were received as compared with 842 in 1910, and 832 in 1909.
Lists were sent in by employers and by the medical officers of health
of the following metropolitan Boroughs and District Councils:—
District. Lists. Outworkers
Camberwell 1 1
Chelsea 6 64
City of London13 27
Finsbury 5 9
Islington 1 1
Kensington 5 24
Lambeth 5 18
Paddington 1 1
District. Lists.
workers
St. Marylebone 2 15
Shoreditch 4 4
Southwark 3 9
Wandsworth 12 67
Westminster 3 93
Wimbledon 1 1
Totals 61 334
The names and addresses of 160 outworkers which were sent
in by employers were found to refer to other districts and were
accordingly forwarded to the medical officers of these districts.
The premises occupied by outworkers are systematically inspected
and any insanitary conditions found, remedied. The
following table shows the number of outworkers' premises registered
in the Borough, together with the trades and number of persons
employed.