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15
Hutted Camps—Squatters.
During August onwards, " Squatters " took possession of three hutted
camps in the Borough: —
(1) East Heath Road—on Hampstead Heath—used during the war
as part of the anti-aircraft battery.
(2) Primrose Hill—Office of Works—used as No. 1.
(3) Lawn Road—Huts previously used by war damage repair
personnel under the control of the Ministry of Works.
At one time, forty-one families comprising 141 persons were occupying
these camps.
Constant visits were paid by the Sanitary Inspectors to each camp and
steps were taken to provide fundamental facilities of main water,
sanitation, and refuse storage and collection.
The conditions at East Heath Camp were particularly unsatisfactory
and, in order to prevent any extension of occupancy, all the vacant huts
were demolished by the Council. Instructions were also given by the
Housing Committee for the demolition of all huts at East Heath and
Lawn Road as and when they were vacated.
A deputation from the Council interviewed officers of the Ministry of
Works and Ministry of Health regarding the future of the camps, as a
result of which certain proposals were put forward whereby the Council
will administer the Primrose Hill Camp only until the end of December,
1948. These huts are to be improved and rents fixed. The occupiers of
the remaining huts in the other camps will be transferred thereto and steps
will be taken to ensure that any vacant huts are immediately rendered
uninhabitable.
Flooding by Storm Water.
On the 26th July, 1946, a torrential rainstorm occurred, resulting in
severe flooding of basements in many parts of the Borough. The areas
most severely flooded were Sumatra Road, Kilburn High Road, Netherwood
Street, Palmerston Road, Kingsgate Road, Eresby Road and
Iverson Road. Individual basements were also flooded in Fleet Road,
Vale of Health, Compayne Gardens, Hilgrove Road and North End.
Some Sumatra Road premises were inundated to a depth of 5 ft., and in
the Netherwood Street area depths of 3 ft. 6 in. were recorded. This was
the most severe flooding ever experienced in the Borough. Previous
floods have been confined principally to the Kilburn Area at the foot of
Shoot-up Hill.
Readings obtained by the Borough Engineer from the Willesden
Borough Council's Recorder at Stonebridge Park show that the equivalent
hourly intensity of rainfall between 5.0 and 5.10 p.m. reached the
phenomenal peak of 4-80 in. The storm was not confined to this locality
but was general throughout the London area.
The Kelson Street Mission Hall was opened for the accommodation of
persons whose premises had been rendered uninhabitable. Bedding,
blankets, etc., were supplied by the Borough Engineer's Department; the
Council's workmen were sent to the worst flooded areas to assist occupiers
to clean up the silt and other debris which had been desposited; saturated
carpets, bedding and clothing were collected, washed and disinfected und
dried at the Central Baths and the Public Health Station. A quantity ol
foodstuffs in shop cellars was condemned as being unfit for food.