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Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909.
Several houses which had been closed in 1911 were finally demolished under Demolition Oideis
in 1912, viz. : 1-20, Bell Court; 1-9, Medley Place. One house in Medley Place and two in Lamb
Alley (Nos. 4 and 5) were demolished voluntarily.
The notices which had been served in 1911 on Nos. 1, 2 and 3, Port Passage, under Section IS
were complied with in 1912.
No notices under Section 15 were served during 1912
The notices under Section 17 which were served on 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 70, 71, id, 74,
75 and 78, Snowsfields, have all been complied with at the time of writing (July), with the exception
of those on 59 and 60 which houses the owner has decided to pull down.
The following houses were rendered fit for human habitation and orders determining the Closing
Orders were passed and the houses are inhabited again—Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 17,
18, 19, St. Marys Place ; and 74, 76, 78 and 80, St. Marychurch Street.
The following are the improvements which were effected : —
St. Mary's Place. Reconstruction of drainage in accordance with the London County
Council bye-laws ; provision of windows to the second flight of staircases ; new dormer windows
in the attic and a window in the back of the first floor room in those cases in which there was not one
already. The brickwork of the back walls of Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 14, 17, 18 and 19 has been rendered
in cement, and the front walls of all the houses pointed. The houses have been cleansed
and redecorated from ground floor to attic.
St. Marychurch Street. The drainage and various appliances connected with it have
been completely reconstructed and renewed respectively ; the external walls repointed and repaired,
and the houses cleansed and redecorated throughout. In No. 74 the flank wall next to the vicarage,
as well as the roof and most of the top storey, have been rebuilt. The staircase has been lighted,
and the internal parts of the house repaired where required. ,v
In Nos. 76, 78 and 80 the staircases have been lighted, No. 78 by a special wondow in the
flank wall, and the internal parts, including the woodwork, repaired and painted.
As a result of a representation Nos. 1-13, Turners Retreat were closed. The following is the
report made to the Committee : —
Nos. 1 to 13, Turner's Retreat.
" The above thirteen houses have been inspected under the Housing and Town Planning
Act, 1909, and I am of opinion they should be closed under Section 17 as being unfit for human
habitation for the following reasons.
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Full particulars of the insanitary condition rendering this action necessary are m my
possession, but the following summary mil give a good idea of their condition : Nos. Ito 11
inclusive are similar in size and structure, and consist of two storeys, with one room on each
floor and a basement intended to be used as a wash-house, but just as often used as a lumber room.
The yards are small and the paving mostly defective, the surrounding walls dirty and. dilapidated.
The w.c.s situated in the yards, are all more or less dirty and dilapidated and the drains defective.
The walls of the houses are built of brick, are very old, more or less dilapidated, and many of
them are bulging and dangerous. The cellars, which are intended to be used as wash-houses,
are very foul smelling and dirty, and being open front and back form a harbour for stray cats
and a receptacle for all sorts of filth. The walls and floors are damp and in one or two instances
the walls fell in through dilapidation and have been repaired. They are difficult of access, the
approach being down a narrow, rickety and dangerous staircase.
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The ground floor rooms are all more or less dirty and the staircases are unlit and not well
ventilated, while the upper rooms are dirty and have no through ventilation. The woodwork
throughout the whole of the houses is more or less old, dirty and dilapidated, and many of the
rooms are verminous. The roofs are old, but do not appear to be leaking, except in one case.
Nos. 12 and 13 are back-to-back houses, and consist of three storeys, with one room on
the ground floor, two on the first floor, and an attic on the second floor. They have no basements.
No. 12 is much the worse of the two. The rooms are all dirty and dilapidated. The
woodwork, including the floors, is old, dirty, and dilapidated, and some of the rooms are
"verminous. The ventilation generally is bad, but an attempt to improve this has been made
by placing a skylight over the first landing of the stairs. This is at present leaking, and lias broken
panes. The attic is one of the dirtiest and most dilapidated rooms of this kind I have come
across. .
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No. 13 is not quite so bad as the last, but is similar structurally. The tenants are very
clean, and have succeeded under adverse circumstances in maintaining a superficial appearance
of cleanliness, but the woodwork is very old and out of repair throughout. The front wall of this
house is bulging, and has been tied near the junction of the two houses to prevent its falling.
There are two w.c.s to these houses situated on the opposite side of the court, and owing
to frequently broken locks and doors are generally accessible to and apparently used by the
public. They are old, dirty and dilapidated, and the drains are defective."
Closing Orders were also served on Nos. 1, 2 and 3, Walkers Place ; Nos. 10, 12, 14, 16 and
18, Upper Russell Street; and Nos. 4 and 5, Lamb Alley ; and the following is the report made
to the Committee. The owner has a scheme under contemplation but is not sure yet whether he
will pull them down.
Nos. 1, 2 and 3, Walkers Place ; Nos. 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18, Upper Russell Street,
AND Nos. 4 AND 5, LaMB ALLEY.
" I beg to represent the above houses, under Section 17 (1) of the Housing, Town Planning,
etc., Act, 1909, as being in a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human
habitation. . .
I have carefully inspected them, and beg to report that the following conditions apply
to them all.