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97
FLOODINGS IN NORWOOD WARD.
In the summer of 1897, June 7 and 24 respectively,
serious floodings occurred in Norwood and Gipsy Hill
(Wood Street, Paxton Yard, Rommany and Hamilton
Roads), varying from a few inches to 3 feet in depth, and
due to the surcharging of the London County Council sewer
at rear of the " Paxton" public-house, the sewers down
Salter's Hill and Auckland Hill—similar floodings having
taken place in August, 1895, and also five years ago.
The boards of the houses were taken up, and the slurry
and sewage-contaminated water and debris removed,
chloride of lime being freely used afterwards, with the
result that no apparent injury to health accrued, so far as
one could judge during a house-to-house visitation, which
was made by the Inspector. It is clear that the future
prevention of these floodings rests with the London County
Council, who will have to enlarge these particular sewers
or construct additional ones,* though the Vestry, with a
view to at least lessening such floods in future, have already
carried out certain alterations and improvements, viz.,
raising the kerb in Wood Street, and at the bottom of
Auckland Hill, building a manhole in connection with the
Wood Street sewer, and furnishing it with a back flap,
and connecting the Wood Street gullies to the sewer which
runs through the Cemetery grounds.
*This work has since been decided upon, and commenced, by the
London County Council.
G