London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Camberwell 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Camberwell.
This page requires JavaScript
26
Outworkers.
Employers of outworkers are required to forward to the
local sanitary authority in February and August each year a
list of the names and addresses of such persons who have been
employed by them during the preceding six months.
The homes of these workers are visited periodically by the
district sanitary inspectors to ensure that no unhealthy or
insanitary conditions exist.
The number of outworkers in Camberwell at the end of the year and the occupations in which they were employed are set out in the following table:—
| Artificial flowers | 2 |
| Baby linen | 22 |
| Belts | 4 |
| Blouses | 8 |
| Boots and shoes | 8 |
| Brushes | 2 |
| Cardboard boxes | 46 |
| Card lacing | 120 |
| Embroidery | 4 |
| Feather sorting | 4 |
| Handbags | 1 |
| Hats | 4 |
| Hosiery | 2 |
| Industrial gloves | 2 |
| Lampshades | 37 |
| Linens | 4 |
| Needlework | 2 |
| Novelties | 18 |
| Overalls | 14 |
| Paper bags | 7 |
| Shoulder pads | 34 |
| Tailoring | 13 |
| Ties | 5 |
| Toys | 8 |
| Umbrellas | 4 |
| Uniform caps | 8 |
| Wearing apparel | 461 |
| Miscellaneous | 28 |
| Total | 872 |
The recent publicity given to the home wrapping of sweets
that has been carried out in certain parts of London draws attention
to the omission from the classes of outwork prescribed by
the Secretary of State under the Factories Act of occupations
connected with the wrapping and packing of sweets. This
suggests that the only relative occupation at present listed, viz.,
"Manufacture of Chocolates and Sweetmeats," should be
extended to include "preparation for sale."
Additional difficulties are arising from the fact that chewing
gum is not at present a "food" within the meaning of the Food
and Drugs Acts, but it appears that this is to be rectified in the
proposed Food Hygiene Regulations.