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10
that Dr. Lord himself was an acute observer with an extensive knowledge
of medicine and a bold and enthusiastic advocate of progress
in hygiene and public health,
Dr. Lord had no hesitation in pointing out the defects which
existed and it is only in his fourth Report made in 1860 that he is
prepared to say that there had been any improvement in general living
conditions.
At that time there was little industry in Hampstead but a great
deal of laundry work was done, and one Report states that "laundry
work may be called the staple trade of the town". This was often
carried out under bad conditions and even in his first Report Dr. Lord
advocates the provision of public baths and washhouses, No action
in this matter was taken by the Vestry and in subsequent Reports
Dr. Lord presses his arguments giving instances of the practice in
other districts and other countries. In 1865 he said "Shall England
go for a practical lesson to our Mohamedan brethren in Turkey, or
to the Greek Church in Russia and not be wise by what they teach!"
His arguments and eloquence were, however, unavailing and
it was not until 1888 that the Finchley Road Baths were opened,
thirty-two years after Dr. Lord's first appeal and nine years after he
had retired from office. At the same time as the Finchley Road
Baths were being built, the Wells and Campden Charity erected the
baths and washhouses in Palmerston Road and in the following year
they made a similar provision in Flask Walk. In the early twentieth
century these two buildings were leased to the Borough Council which
had then taken the place of the Vestry.
It is of interest to note that up to 1865 the removal of "Dust
and Ashes" was carried out by contract at sums varying from £ 100
to £250 per annum, but that it was then discovered that "dust
contractors are paying high prices to the London Vestries for the
privilege of collecting the dust from parishioners" because of the
"present and prospective demand for bricks" and that in 1866 a contract
was made with Mr. John Culverhouse whereby he paid the Vestry
£550 per annum for the privilege. For the next twenty years there
are mentions of complaints due to brick-burning in the Fleet Road
area. The practice was finally only discontinued after an action in
the High Court at the end of 1885. At the present day the collection