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
Paddington 1909
Report on the vital statistics and sanitary work for the year 1909
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administrative work. 63
Six complaints of smoke nuisance were received during the year, two from factory
laundries, and one each from a bakehouse, ironworks, a brewery and a restaurant.
The records of the observations made by the Department indicate that while there has
been a notable diminution in the production of " black " smoke, too much smoke of other
shades (densities) is allowed to escape. It is satisfactory to record that the County Council
have given notice of their intention to promote legislation during the current year to
strengthen the law relating to smoke nuisance. The principal amendment proposed is the
deletion of the qualification "black" thus making the emission of any smoke (in excessive
quantity) a nuisance.
1909. Smoke Observations.
| Address. | Business. | Chimney Shaft of |
|---|---|---|
| 27, Beethoven Street | Factory Laundry | Steam Boiler |
| 29, „ „ | „ „ | „ „ |
| 8, Bishop's Road | Refreshment Rooms | Kitchen Stove |
| — Braden Street | L.C.C. New Sewerage Works | Warming Stove |
| 16, Craven Terrace | Bakehouse | Baker's Oven |
| — Eastbourne Terrace | Dining Club | Kitchen Stove and Steam Boiler |
| 75-7, Edgware Road | Restaurant | „ „ |
| 189, „ „ | Bakehouse | Baker's Ovens |
| 377, „ „ | „ | „ „ |
| 401, „ „ | „ | „ „ |
| — Goods Yard, G.W.R. | Hydraulic Works | Steam Boilers |
| 76-8, Herries Street | Factory Laundry | „ „ |
| 90, „„ | „ „ | „ „ |
| — London Street | Station Works | Travelling Crane |
| 7, North Wharf | Refuse Destructor | Destructor |
| 18-19, „ „ | Iron Works | Furnace |
| — Praed Street | Hotel | Kitchen Stove |
| 25, Queen's Road | Restaurant | „ „ |
| 70-2, „ „ | Bakehouse | Baker's Ovens |
| 80, „ „ | „ | „ „ |
| 120, Shirland Road | Dairy | Steam Boilers |
| 8, South Wharf | Builder's Merchant | Travelling Crane |
| 3, Spring Street | Bakehouse | Baker's Ovens |
| 33, Westbourne Grove | General Stores | Steam Boilers |
Canals, Wharves—On the retirement of Inspector Biorn in September of last year, the
supervision of the canal traffic was passed on to Inspector Potter. The wharves round the
Basin are visited at least once a week throughout the year and at more frequent intervals as
the season or other cause demands.
The Basin was run off at Easter, when some 600 tons of mud and refuse were cleared
away and repairs to the bottom (concrete) and walls carried out. The one clearance was
sufficient as the weather during the summer was too cool to affect the water. Two complaints
were received during the year with reference to the traffic, one relating to barges
held up during the Easter cleansing—the boats had been moved on by the Department before
the complaint was received—and one to smells arising in the course of loading a barge, fish
offal having been mixed with the manure before it was brought to the wharf.
On the 1st April of last year one of the Dust Contractors to the Willesden U.D.C.
commenced to load barges with house refuse from a vacant strip of land lying between
Hormead Road and the Grand Junction Canal. Complaints of smells and dust from the wharf