London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Finsbury 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Finsbury Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
12
It is a busy central Borough and partakes largely of the City
character; in fact the City has already invaded Finsbury with its
overflow of industry by way of the four main arteries, Farringdon
Road, St. John Street, Aldersgate Street and the City Road.
Finsbury is the smallest but one of all the Metropolitan
Boroughs, the area being 587 acres, practically the whole of which
is built up, there being only 11 acres of open space.
Although small in area, it is estimated that the day population
is approximately 200,000, this meaning that over 130,000 persons
enter and leave the Borough daily.
The people are employed in factories, workshops, offices and
trade processes.
Schools.
There are 17 Elementary Schools in the Borough, both
provided and non-provided, including one Central School, providing
accommodation for 13,501 children (limit of enrolment). There is
also a school providing accommodation for 150 deaf and partially
deaf children.
The numbers on the registers at the end of 1937 were 8,591,
and 74 respectively.
Public Assistance.
The Chief Officer of Public Assistance of the London County Council has kindly given me the following details as to the number of persons resident in Finsbury who were in receipt of domiciliary relief during the last week of each quarter of 1936-7:—
| Last week of quarter. | Number of persons in receipt of domiciliary relief (excluding medical relief only). | Number of persons in receipt of medical relief only. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936. | 1937. | 1935. | 1936. | |
| March | 2,025 | 1,703 | 3 | 3 |
| June | 1,867 | 1,416 | 1 | 1 |
| September | 1,752 | 1,340 | 2 | 0 |
| December | 1,642 | 1,280 | 2 | 4 |