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
Battersea 1911
[Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1911]
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At the beginning of 1911, the number of workshops on the
register was 600 as compared with 530 at the beginning of 1910.
During 1911, the occupation of 68 of these premises was discontinued
while on the other hand 32 new workshops were added
so that at the end of 1911 the total number of these premises was
564 in which were employed 1,987 persons (1,143 males, 844 females).
During the year 1911, twenty-eight workshops were notified to
H.M. Inspector in pursuance of sec. 133 of the Factory and Workshop
Act, 1901, which directs that " when any woman, young
person or child is employed in a workshop in which no abstract of
the Act is affixed as by this Act required and the medical officer of
health becomes aware thereof, he shall forthwith give written notice
thereof to the Inspector for the district."
The following table gives particulars relating to new workshops in which "protected persons" were employed, notices of which were duly sent to H.M. Inspector during 1911.
| Trade. | No. ofWork shops. | Protected Persons employed. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | Young Persons. | Total. | ||
| Bootmaking | 3 | — | 3 | 3 |
| Dressmaking | 3 | 13 | 4 | 17 |
| Laundry | 2 | 8 | — | 8 |
| Tailoring | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Miscellaneous | 18 | 4 | 23 | 27 |
| Totals | 28 | 28 | 33 | 61 |
Sanitary Condition of Workshops.
The local authority is the authority responsible for the condition
of workshops and workplaces in its district. Sanitary conditions
include (a) cleanliness; (b) air space; (c) ventilation;
(d) drainage of floors; (e) provision of sanitary accommodation.
During the year 1911, 3,609 visits of inspection were paid by
the workshop inspectors to factories, workshops, and workplaces,
exclusive of visits to home workers. The following is a tabulated
statement of the work carried out in connection with workshop
inspection during 1911, so far as it admits of tabulation :—