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 1914
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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45
FACTORIES AND WORKSHOPS.
Section 132 of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, requires the Medical Officer of Health of
every District Council to report specifically on the workshops and workplaces in his district, and
to send a copy of his annual report to the Secretary of State. The total number of workshops on
the Council's register is 1,745. Workshops where men are employed are placed under the supervision
of the sanitary inspector in whose district they are situated; workshops where women are
employed are inspected by the two lady sanitary inspectors, who also visit the premises of homeworkers
and inspect the sanitary conveniences reserved for women in workshops, railway stations
and other public places in Kensington. The factories in the Borough number 249, and are
inspected and regulated by H.M. Inspectors under the Home Office. The Sanitary Inspectors of
the Borough Council are, however, required to ensure the provision of suitable and sufficient sanitary
conveniences in factories as well as in workshops.
WOMEN'S WORKSHOPS.
Report of Lady Inspectors.—"The number of workshops and factories at which female labour
was employed at the end of 1914 was eight hundred and seventy-four, 333 (mostly laundries) being
in North Kensington, and 541 (mostly dressmakers) in South Kensington. During the year 9
workshops were added to the register and 7 were removed.
"The subjoined Table summarises particulars of the 66 factories and 808 workshops on the register at the end of the year in North Kensington and South Kensington respectively.
| Workshops, etc. | North Kensington. | South Kensington. | Total for Whole Borough | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dressmakers. | Laundries. | Miscellaneous. | Total. | Dressmakers. | Laundries. | Miscel2 laneous. | Total. | ||
| No. on Register | 64 | 200 | 69 | 333 | 391 | 9 | 141 | 541 | 874 |
| No. of Rooms therein | 107 | 635 | 105 | 847 | 732 | 29 | 209 | 970 | 1,817 |
"The number of persons employed varies with the period of the year, being, of course,
greatest during the 'season': it exceeds 10,000.
"The businesses carried on at the registered premises are set out in the subjoined list:—
| Trade or Business | North Kensington. | South Kensington. | Total in the Borough. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art needlework | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Blind-maker | - | 1 | 1 |
| Blouse-maker | 3 | 8 | 11 |
| Boot header | 1 | - | 1 |
| ,, closer | 2 | - | 2 |
| Cigarette maker (Factory) | - | 1 | 1 |
| Colour printer (Factory) | 1 | - | 1 |
| Corset maker | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Cracker maker | 1 | - | 1 |
| Dressmaker and ladies' tailor | 61 | 378 | 439 |
| Dyer and cleaner (Factory) | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Eyelet hole finisher (Factory) | 1 | - | 1 |
| Florist | - | 10 | 10 |
| Furrier | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| Hair wash manufacturer | 1 | - | 1 |
| Hosier | - | 1 | 1 |
| Lamp shade maker | - | 2 | 2 |
| Laundry (workshop) | 144 | 9 | 153 |
| ,, (factory) | 56 | - | 56 |
| Machinist | - | 1 | 1 |
| Mantle maker | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Milliner | 4 | 51 | 55 |
| Outfitter | - | 4 | 4 |
| Photographer | 2 | 14 | 16 |
| Pickle manufacturer | 1 | - | 1 |
| Printer (Factories) | - | 3 | 3 |
| Silversmith | - | 1 | 1 |
| Sweetmaker | - | 1 | 1 |
| Tailor | 41 | 4 | 45 |
| Typist | - | 5 | 5 |
| Tyre Maker | - | 1 | 1 |
| Umbrella manufacturer | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Upholsterer | 1 | 14 | 15 |
| Violin string manufacturer | 1 | - | 1 |
| Waistcoat maker | 8 | - | 3 |
| Wig maker | 1 | 9 | 10 |
| Total | 333 | 541 | 874 |