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63
lodging-houses," and the official witnesses were agreed that they "should be registered and controlled
like common lodging-houses." The house-farmers, it was alleged, did not care as to the
respectability of the lodgers—they preferred those from whom they could get the most money.
Overcrowding was suspected rather than proved to exist; but one clerical witness said he had
observed it at night—it being due, however, to the largeness of families rather than to excess in
number of adults. There was little complaint of unwholesome conditions within the power of the
sanitary authority to ameliorate. Few male adults, it was stated, were regular workers; but there
were many women workers. Medical and other witnesses alleged considerable neglect of young
•children whose parents were away from home during the day.
The Report of the Special Committee attributed prevalent evils to the vicious proclivities and
bad habits of the people themselves (See Note 2, page 65); drunkenness being a principal factor
in bringing about the sad condition of affairs described. The Committee made a number of recommendations
with the object of improving the state of the locality; e.g., by the paving of yards in
the rear of the houses ; the asphalte paving of the roadway of "one or two streets " ; the efficient
trapping of street gullies, and the more frequent removal of house refuse. These matters had long
engaged the attention of the public health department, and it may be convenient here to state what
had been done, or shortly afterwards was done, in consonance with the views of the Committee.
Yards were paved as far as practicable (i.e., the portion immediately behind the houses); the roadways
of all the streets were paved with asphalte, so as to allow of thorough cleansing by washing;
street gullies were syphon-trapped; surface sewer ventilating openings were closed, pipe-shafts
carried up against houses being substituted, and house refuse was removed twice in the week,
instead of once as elsewhere. The Committee further recommended attention to cases where
bedding was in an unwholesome or verminous condition, with a view to the cleansing or destruction
of such articles—a matter of more difficulty, the sanitary committee not having seen their way to
cleanse or replace at the public cost. Additional powers, since conferred upon the sanitary authority
facilitate measures of this description—under the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1904,
and the Borough Council's new by-laws* for houses let in lodgings or occupied by members of
more than one family—and, with few exceptions, the houses are so let, and are registered under the
provisions of Section 94 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891. The Committee commented on
the number of children seen playing in the streets during school hours, and the bad school attendance—matters
in regard to which improvement has taken place.
Common Lodging-Houses.—The Committee referred to the relatively satisfactory condition of
the Common Lodging-houses, which are under the jurisdiction of the County Council. These establishments,
nevertheless, tend to bring "undesirables" into the district; but in this respect, also,
improvement has taken place. In 1896 there were 23 common lodging-houses, with accommodation
for 703 persons; 617 in single beds, and 86 persons in double beds; single beds for females,
and double beds for " married" couples being provided in the same house in some instances.
In 1906 there were only 17 of these establishments, and no double bedsf; persons of different
sexes, moreover, not being received at any common lodging-house. The accommodation, moreover,
was for 467 persons only; 238 males and 229 females.* But notwithstanding this diminished
provision (33 per cent.), the number of common "lodgers" admitted to the infirmary continues
very high; 202 in 1906-7 compared with 243 in 1896-7—a reduction of 17 per cent only. The
admissions to the infirmary from the common lodging-houses in 1896-7, and in 1906-7, respectively,
were 35-7 and 34-8 per cent, of total admissions from the Area; whilst the deaths thereat of
persons from common lodging-houses, which in 1896-7 constituted 52-4 per cent, of total deaths
connected with the Area, rose to 55-4 per cent in 1906-7.
Furnished Rooms, as already intimated, were, and they still are, the bane of the Area. In a
majority of houses (107 out of 208) the rooms are so let, and in many instances by the night—the
so-called " furniture " being usually of a wretched description. Acting upon my instructions, the
*In 1897 the late Vestry made and submitted to the Local Government Board a by-law as follows:—"The landlord
or keeper of a registered house in which rooms are let in furnished lodgings, shall cause the bedding and other articles
in such rooms to be at all times maintained in a clean and wholesome condition and free from noxious insects." The by-law
was not confirmed.
†The abolition of "double beds" for "married" couples took effect in 1905, and was consequent to proceedings by the
County Council arising out of proved immoral use of two lodging-houses. See note 3, page 65.
‡In 1899 and 1900 there were 730 beds : in 1901 and 1902 the number decreased to 706 ; in 1904 to 559, and in 1905 to 467,
the existing number.