London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hammersmith 1965

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hammersmith Borough]

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS
The London Borough of Hammersmith covers an area of 3,988.5 acres, bounded on the
South by the Thames, on the North by Brent, to the East by Kensington and Chelsea, and to the
West by Ealing and Hounslow.
The subsoil in the Northern section of the Borough is mainly clay, whilst in the South
there is a layer of some twenty feet of gravel over blue clay. There is a variation of approximately
120 feet in elevation from the river to the Northern boundary whilst the lowest point is
13 feet above sea level.
There are more than 900 factories of varied nature within the Borough and most trades
are represented. This development is undoubtedly due to the excellent water, road, and rail
transport facilities available. Of equal importance to the industrialist and the resident alike are
the comprehensive passenger transport services of the area which, for eighteen hours a day,
provide train and 'bus schedules to most parts of London and to surrounding districts. The Borough
is easily accessible to London Airport.
Hammersmith has all the usual amenities for recreation and relaxation. There are swimming
baths at Lime Grove and North End Road; whilst Bloemfontein Road has an open-air swimming
pool measuring 150 feet by 75 feet.
For the onlooker there is a very wide choice indeed as, at most weekends, the river is a
spectacle with racing eights, sailing boats and skiffs from the various rowing and sailing clubs.
The highlights of such activities are undoubtedly the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race and the
Head of the River Race, both held in the Spring.
The White City Stadium stages national and international athletics, and greyhound racing,
whilst the Royal International Horse Show, (Patron - H.M. The Queen), organised by the British
Horse Society, is also held there. Olympia attracts thousands to its well-known exhibitions and
shows; whilst the B.B.C. Television Centre in Wood Lane and Lime Grove Studios, which provide
entertainment for millions, are household names.
The Borough enjoys many sporting facilities, and includes the Association Football
grounds of Chelsea, Fulham, and Queen's Park Rangers in its area.
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