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court yard; access to the upper flats is from balconies running the whole length of
the building on each floor The flats are lighted by electric light and each living
room is provided with a dresser and an "Interoven" stove. There is a copper and
gas cooker in each scullery; the living and bedroom floors are boarded. The floors
of the passages, sculleries and W.C.'a are paved with granolithic paving.
The buildings were designed in the Borough Surveyor's office and I he work
was carried out by the Canonbury Construction Co., Ltd., under the supervision
and direction of Mr. J. E. Parr, A.M.Tnst.C.E., the Borough Surveyor.
The illustrations show the site before the demolition of the old buildings
and the front elevation of the new building Imown as Betterton House.
The Council subsequently decided to extend the scheme and adjoining houses
have been obtained. The demolition of these and the extension of the block
of tenement dwellings is likely to be proceeded with during the present year (1928).
Upwards of 120 applications were received for the 15 flats in Betterton House.
Several of these came from families who had been displaced when the old buildings
were demolished and preferential consideration was given to such applicants. The
Housing of the Working Classes Committee was then faced with the difficult
problem of selecting from the remaining applications those whose need for
improved housing accommodation appeared to be most urgent. Ample evidence
was afforded as to the urgent necessity which exists in the Borough for additional
accommodation for families of the working classes.
Accomviodcition on L.G.C. Housing Estates.
In the year 1024 arrangements were made by the London County Council for
a certain number of houses on several of that Council's housing estates to be
available for applicants nominated and recommended by the Metropolitan Borough
Councils. The arrangement was primarily to secure reduction in overcrowding,
that is, to provide housing accommodation for families residing more than 2 per
room. It was, however, recognised that other cases of hardship existed and the
scheme was extended to include these. Applications for such accommodation
are submitted by residents in this Borough to the Public Health "Department where
thev are examined and before submission to the London County Council the
applicants are in all cases interviewed.
From the commencement of the scheme up to the end of 1927, 180 applies
Hons have been forwarded through the Public Health "Department. Information
lias been received that in 34 of these the applications for various reasons cannot
be accepted for houses on London County Council estates; in 69 cases information
has been received that accommodation has been offered to and in most cases
accepted by, the applicants; the remaining cases are still under consideration.
The scheme, has proved of considerable advantage to a number of families who
were resident in this Borough and who, through the operation of the scheme, have
obtained improved housing accommodation in suburban areas.