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
Hampstead 1926
Report for the year 1926 of the Medical Officer of Health
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35
Among this latter group the largest number living in one room
was eight.
I quote these figures as an indication of housing conditions, with
which the Department is striving to deal.
It is not at all easy, however, to get the most overcrowded persons
in the Borough removed to the Watling Estate. Thus, the County
Council's regulations governing the letting of accommodation stipulate
that
"Applicants shall be allotted cottages and tenements not
"larger than are deemed to be sufficient to meet the reasonable needs
"of the families, taking into consideration the sex and age of the
"children and the bedroom accommodation required.
"Sub-letting or the accommodation of lodgers is not permitted,
"and in cases where properties are let at the ordinary weekly rentals,
"the carrying on of any business is not allowed. In cases where
"it is desired to carry on practices such as midwife, &c., a special
"charge is made in addition to the rent."
The approximate rents to be charged for the London County Council houses are as follows:—
| s. | d. | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 room flats | 10 | 3 per week |
| 3 „ „ | 11 | 6 „ |
| 4 „ „ | 12 | 6 „ |
| 3 „ cottage | 12 | 0 „ |
| 4 „ „ (non-parlour) | 12 | 6 „ |
| 4 „ „ (parlour type) | 14 | 6 „ |
| 5 „ „ | 14 | 9 „ |
Rates will be payable in addition to these amounts, and I estimate
that they probably will amount to about one-third of the rent.
The difficulty, therefore, at once arises that our most crowded
families must have 4 or 5-roomed cottages or flats, and when one goes
into their economic conditions it seems impossible for them to pay an
economic rent which the County Council hope to obtain. Up to the
present we have not been able to get any family transferred to this
Estate, though I have great hopes we shall do so during the current
year.
With regard to clearing unhealthy sites, the Committee has not
been able to see its way to take any action in this respect. Personally, I
am still of opinion that something might be done towards removing some