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74
and his clothing . . . . the use of such apparatus shall not be considered
to be parochial relief or charitable allowance to the person using
the same or to the parent of such person, and no such person or parent
shall by reason thereof be deprived of any right or privilege or be subject
to any disqualification or disability. Local authorities may expend
any reasonable sum on buildings, appliances and attendants that may be
required for the carrying out of this Act, and any expenses for this purpose
may be defrayed out of any rate or fund applicable by the authority
for general sanitary purposes or for the relief of the poor."
Notwith tanding the existence of these very valuable powers, not
much use appears to have been made of them, probably because the Act
was permissive—there be'ng no statutory obligation on a local authority
to administer the Act, nor, should the authority decide to administer the
Act, is there any power to compel any person to avail himself of its
provisions.
In 1906 in Battersea the Borough Council decided to make use of the
powers contained in the Act. A temporary Personal Cleansing Station
was established, one of the Reception Shelters at Sheepcote Lane being
utilised for the purpose.
The station was opened for the reception of persons requiring the
use of the facilities provided by the Council on the 25th July, 1906.
At first comparatively little use was made of the station, but as its
influence began to be felt the numbers steadily increased. The common
lodging houses, Salvation Army shelters, and vagrants at first supplied
the majority of the applicants, but in course of time the advantages of the
station attracted a wider class. The grateful and comforting experience
derived by the less fortunate class of inhabitant of being able to obtain a
warm bath amid clean and comfortable surroundings and without loss
of their indopendence and self-respect was responsible, no doubt, for the
rapid increase in the popularity of the station.
In 1911 the London County Council, in compliance with the statutory
duty imposed upon them as the Education Authority for London,
finding it necessary to make provision for the cleansing of school children
attending the public elementary schools, entered into a contract upon
terms agreed upon with the Council for the use of the station for the
cleansing of Battersea children.
The greatly increased numbers of persons using the station made it
necessary to utilise another shelter. It soon became evident, however,
that these buildings were structurally and otherwise unsuitable for the
purpose, and from time to time the difficulties arising in carrying out this
valuable work were brought to the notice of the Council. Unfortunately,
the war inhibited public health activities, and it was not until December,
1919, that the Council decided to build a suitable station, and in February,
1920, plans, &c., were prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Health,
who approved of them after some alterations and amendments were
agreed to by the Council. The estimated cost of the new station was
£3,300, but this estimate was later increased to £3,665.
The pressure of other work on the Works Department of the Council
caused some unavoidable delay in the erection of the new building, but a
start Was made late in 1922, and the station was completed and ready
for use in July, 1923.
The new station is very centrally situated and is built in conjunction
with the new Establishment Laundry on the spare land beside the Latchmere
Baths, with its frontage to Sheepcote Lane. It is a well-lighted,
airy building,, with tiled walls and impermeable floors, and is provided
with all necessary modern equipment, e.g., baths, douches, sprays,
sterilising apparatus for clothing, &c. It is anticipated that it will be
capable of dealing with at least double the present annual number of
persons.
Appended will be found particulars of the numbers of persons
cleansed, and the cost annually since the station was established in July,
1906.