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
Kensington 1900
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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48
Work of the Lady Inspector.—With respect to this borough, it was stated in the
twelfth report for 1900, that a considerable addition had been made to the number of premises where
women are employed, and which are under the supervision of the Council's lady inspector; the net
increase in such establishments (after deducting the number transferred to other boroughs) being
132 : the present known total is 845 ; constant additions moreover are being made to the list by
discovery of establishments, and as the result of Miss de Chaumont's labours many establishments,
previously unknown and unvisited by factory inspectors, have been reported to the Home Office.
Without further preface I submit—
Miss de Chaumont's Annual Report. "At the beginning of the year, 708 workshops, &c., where women are employed, were on the register. During the year, 195 new premises were placed on the register, and 85 were removed therefrom. The particulars in regard to existing establishments are as follows :—
| Workshops, &c. | North Kensington. | South Kensington. | Total for Borough. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dressmakers. | Laundries. | Miscellaneous. | Total. | Dressmakers. | Laundries. | Miscellaneous. | Total. | ||
| Added to Register | 27 | 105 | 19 | 151 | 37 | 2 | 5 | 44 | 195 |
| Removed from Register. | 18 | 13 | 5 | 36 | 48 | 3 | 3 | 49 | 85 |
" The great increase in the number of registered workshops, &c., is owing to the readjustment
of the borough boundaries consequent on the passing of the London Government Act, 1899. By
this readjustment a considerable addition has been made to the number of premises in this borough
where women are employed.
"The following is a summary of the establishments transferred:—
| North Kensington :— | ||||
| Dressmakers. | Laundries. | Miscellaneous. | Total. | |
| From Chelsea | 2 | 109 | 7 | 118 |
| „ Hammersmith | 4 | 8 | 2 | 14 |
| ,, Paddington | 10 | 3 | 2 | 15 |
| 16 | 120 | 11 | 147 | |
| South Kensington :— | ||||
| From Chelsea | 6 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
| „ Westminster | 2 | — | 2 | 4 |
| 8 | 1 | 4 | 13 | |
| Total | 24 | 121 | 15 | 160 |
" To adjoining boroughs establishments have been transferred from Kensington as follows:—
| Dressmakers. | Laundries. | Miscellaneous. | Total. | |
| To Hammersmith | 1 | 5 | — | 6 |
| „ Paddington | 12 | — | — | 12 |
| ,, Chelsea | 1 | — | 1 | 2 |
| „ Westminster | 7 | — | 1 | 8 |
| Total | 21 | 5 | 2 | 28 |
"The nominal increase of establishments in Kensington is : Dressmakers 3, Laundries 116,
Miscellaneous 13 ; Total 132. But on inspection some of the premises were found to be no longer
occupied as 'workshops.' The net result for the year, therefore, is an increase of 115 registered
workshops, &c., in North Kensington, and a decrease of 5 in South Kensington; showing a net
increase of 110 for the whole borough; Holland-park-avenue and Notting-hill High-street
separating the two districts. At the end of the year, 818 places (comprising an aggregate of 1,704
rooms) were on the register, viz.:—
Workshops, &c.
North Kensington.
South Kensington.
Total
for
Borough.
Dress- Laun- Miscel- total
makers, dries. laneous
Dress- Laun- Miscel- total
makers, dries. laneous
Number on Register 128 300 44 472 288 23 35 346 818
Number of Rooms therein. 156 867 62 1,085 525 52 42 619 1,704
The known number of establishments, therefore, is now 818, in which are employed, on
an average, upwards of 10,000 women and girls. There is reason to believe that in Kensal New