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55
Above this stratum of the submerged, there is a class of
tenant who could pay an economic rent with difficulty, and by
stinting himself and family of food or clothing-. From this standpoint
the Finsbury housing problem is the problem of poverty
and its alleviation or prevention.
On the other hand, land in the borough is so dear that
when the Council propounded a housing scheme in 1919, it was
rejected by the Ministry of Health on this head alone, apart from
other considerations.
Further, the trend of circumstances seems to move to make
Finsbury into a place of warehouses and workshops. Gradually,
but surely, dwelling houses are being emptied and being turned
into factories and business premises.
This gradual de-population of the borough is borne out by
the records of the last three censuses. The populations of Finsbury
at the various censuses were as follows:—
Census Year .Population of Finsbury.
1901 101,463
1911 87,923
1921 75,995
The tendency of these conversions of dwelling houses is to
create in the immediate neighbourhood a zone of reactionary
crowding or overcrowding. The same result has been observed
to take place when a piece-meal attempt is made to deal with
housing by erecting model dwellings or "buildings" in paracentral
London. The hard-working labourer, the honest workman,
are joined by the ne'er-do-well and the indigent, and they
all move to the favoured district to "squat" under uncomfortable
conditions, waiting for a vacancy and for the earliest
opportunity to apply for it "on the spot.
It is quite obvious that the best solution will be for the
Metropolitan boroughs and the London County Council in conference
to tackle the housing problem as a whole. For one
borough to deal with its own inhabitants has doubtless its