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211
In 1906, after many representations had been made to the
L.C.C. regarding the continual flooding of the Marsh Wards of
the Borough at times of heavy rainfall, two new sewers were
constructed in an effort to control the storm waters.
During 1907 a new Sanitary Convenience at the junction
of Creek Road and Deptford High Street was opened and in
the same year the Notification of Births Act, which compelled
notification of births within 36 hours to the Medical Officer of
Health was passed but was not adopted by this Council
although advised by the Health Committee to do so.
Following an inspection of Greenwich Market in 1902,
many unhealthy insanitary and dangerous conditions were found
not only in the premises which were badly lit, ill-ventilated and
generally deplorable, but the paved portion of the Market was
never cleaned down with water and consequently had become
coated with a firm layer of fruit and vegetable matter "trodden
down by the foot of man, the hooves of horses and finally
rendered firm with waggon wheels". These matters were
reported to the Council and notices were duly served requiring
abatement but this proved a slow, laborious task by reason of
dual authority, viz., the Admiralty and the Collector of Tolls
(the highest bidder at public auction for this position). The
latter could not, without permission of the Admiralty, put on
water supply for the cleansing and flushing of the Market.
Finally, an ad hoc Council Committee met a Departmental
Committee of the Admiralty to resolve the problem, agreement
was eventually reached and the improvements were completed
by 1907.
A voluntary health organisation was formed in 1908
called the "Greenwich Health Society", its objects being to
foster among the people a desire to secure the best possible
health and sanitation for the Borough and to give special
attention to the feeding, clothing and environment of infants
and young children. The Borough was divided into 8 districts,
each having a Superintending Visitor who would visit at least
once a month and when necessary advise mothers to seek
medical attention for themselves or for their children and at
the same time report any sanitary defects in the household to
the Public Health Department. It was a pre-requisite that the
Visitor should be conversant with the Poor Law in order to
give needy families the benefit of her advice.
The following year brought about the formal adoption by
the Council of the Notification of Births Act, 1907, and three