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2
PREFACE.
The annual report on the health of the borough in 1944 is short,
but what a relief it is that this year no edict prevents the publication
of any statistical facts for fear of giving away information useful
to an enemy.
There can be no question that 1944 was the most difficult and
trying of all the war years. The 72 "doodlebugs" and one rocket
which burst inside the borough boundaries during the year were
the cause of far greater material devastation than anything which
happened before. Nevertheless, the inhabitants as a body were in
no way deterred by enemy action from carrying on their wartime
life, although there were, of course, exceptional cases. The
population was in fact more or less stationary between 1941 and
1944, being estimated at each mid-year to have been 157,510 in
1941, 157,200 in 1942, 163,100 in 1943, and 162,960 in 1944.
Although tremendous efforts were made to repair the 34,000
homes which were damaged by the fly bombs, the prospect which
faced the people at the beginning of the winter was, to say the
least, frightening, for not only were there all these war-damaged
houses to be put straight, but also an immense number of other
houses not war-damaged but in sore need of repairs withheld
perforce during the war years. These came a bad second to those
war-damaged in being mended, although when roofs are leaking
the cause should be of no importance compared with the misery
of the occupants. Still, rightly or wrongly, war damage repairs
came, and still come, a long, long way first.
Again, deep gratitude is expressed to the members of the Public
Health Committee for their forbearance, to the Chief Officers for
their assistance and co-operation, and most of all to the still
further reduced staff of the Department who so cheerfully carried
on in spite of every discouragement.
A.G.G.T.
July 1945.