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
Bermondsey 1949
Report on the sanitary condition of the Borough of Bermondsey for the year 1949
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STREET AND OPEN MARKETS
On the 2nd May, 1949, the open markets in Bermondsey
Square and Southwark Park Road were officially opened by His
Worship the Mayor of Bermondsey (Councillor H. A. Beal, J.P.),
on which date the street traders removed from the streets on to the
market sites provided by the Council. On the 26th May, 1949,
however, the street traders of Tower Bridge Road and Bermondsey
Street moved back to their original positions in the roadway, having
lodged an appeal with the Secretary of State against the action of
the Council.
A public inquiry was held before E. Daly Lewis, Esq., Barristerat-Law,
on the 22nd and 27th September, 1949, with the result that
the Secretary of State decided that the parts of the streets which should
be designated for the purpose of street trading under the London
County Council (General Powers) Act, 1947, were to be —
(i) Tower Bridge Road (North side from 93 Tower Bridge
Road to Bermondsey Street).
(ii) Bermondsey Street (Tower Bridge Road to a point
30 feet south of the junction of Bermondsey Street
with Abbey Street and Long Lane).
The Council, at the meeting of the 21st December, 1949, passed
a designating resolution to this effect, and the licensed street traders
were transferred to their new positions on the 2nd January, 1950.
The effect of the ruling was that the congested portion of Tower Bridge
Road, taking heavy vehicular traffic, could not be used for street
trading.
On 27th September, 1949, the Southwark Park Road street traders
moved from the open market sites provided for them, back into the
roadway, and their appeal to the Secretary of State is under consideration.
Number of licences in operation during 1949 232
Income for 1949 £3,434 IIs 6d.
During the year 130 summonses were taken out under the London
County Council (General Powers) Act, 1947, against unlicensed
traders—these were all " barrow boys " trading in the London Bridge
area. All these prosecutions were successful and fines totalling
£102 5s. od. were imposed with costs amounting to £40 10s. 6d.