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
Bethnal Green 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green Borough]
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The increased tempo of new housing construction can be seen from the following comparative
table for the past 10 years:—
| Completed in | Borough Council | Provided by London County Council | Public Utility Society * | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | 32 (Cambridge Heath) | — | — | 2 | 34 |
| 1928 | - | 45 (Codrington House) | - | - | 45 |
| 1929 | 16 (Weaver House) | 22 (Harvey House) | 15 (Queen Margaret's flats) | - | 53 |
| 1930 | - | 28 (Blackwood House) | - | - | 28 |
| 1931 | - | 37 (Rutherford House) | - | 1 | 38 |
| 1932 | 83 (Hadrian) | 8 (Tyler House) | - | 98 | |
| 1933 | 73 (Claredale) | - | - | - | 73 |
| 1934 | - | 59 (Besford House) | 15 (Ropley Street) | 11 | 85 |
| 1935 | 40 (Butler) | 59 (Gillman House) | 27 (Maude House) | 40 (Mulberry House) | 166 |
| 1936 | 55 (Digby) | 90 (Hollybush House) 71 (Dinmont House) | 25 (Haig House) | 4 | 245 |
It should be borne in mind that this new building
follows the clearing away of equally large numbers
of old, worn out, dark and unsavoury dwelling
houses and insanitary areas. Even these facts do
not fully reveal the profound change which is taking
place in the housing situation of the Borough. At
the beginning of 1937, the Borough Council and
London County Council between them had preparations
in hand for no fewer than 503 further
tenements in the Borough, apart from the provision