Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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58 workshop supervision.
Wharves.— These have been regularly inspected during the year. No complaint has
been received of any nuisance from those on the "cut," but complaint was made in July last
by the Education Department of the County Council of "unpleasant smells arising from refuse
collected and carted . . . from the district of the Willesden Council, and shot into barges
alongside a landing wharf at the rear" of the Moberley School, Harrow Road. The
complaint apparently referred to the wharf acquired by the Willesden District Council in
1903. At an inquiry held by the Local Government Board in February of that year the
Borough Council opposed the proposal of the Willesden Council on the ground that nuisance
and danger to health of the scholars might be anticipated, owing to the proximity of the
wharf to the school. The Council's objection was not upheld by the Board.
Offensive Businesses.— By an Order dated 29th March, 1903, the London County Council
declared the business of dressing of fish skins to be an offensive business within the meaning
of Sec. 19 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891. That Council has also drafted new
by.laws relating to the conduct of the various offensive businesses, but the by.laws have
not yet been promulgated. There are no offensive businesses carried on in the Borough.
Workshop Supervision.
By Sec. 132 of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, the medical officer of health of
every district is required to "report specifically on the administration" of the Act within
his district. In the autumn of last year the Home Office issued directions and tables
indicating the information required. The system of work adopted bv the Department,
sufficientlv described in previous Reports, remains unchanged.
Registration.—At the close of 1903, 281 premises were on the Registers of the
Department. During 1901, 96 premises were added to and 23 removed from the
Registers, leaving 354 effective entries at the close of the year. The premises comprised
98 factories, 750 workshops, 15 domestic workshops, 343 premises occupied by single
workers, and 54 "workplaces." In addition there are 24 contractors' premises which are
not included in the total of 1,260. The classes of businesses carried on and the number of
workers are indicated in Table 33. The latter can be regarded as an approximate estimate
only, owing to frequent changes which take place from various causes.
Notices of 31 new workshops were received during the year from the Home Office, most
of which were already known to the Department.
Outworkers (Homeworkers).—Under the provisions of Sec. 107 of the Act lists of outworkers
have to be sent to the Local Authority of the District in February and August of
each year, and such lists are to be examined and particulars forwarded to any district in
which any of the outworkers reside. During the year, 83 lists were received from employers
in the Borough, containing 414 addresses of outworkers, viz., 26 in Februarv and 37 in
August. The addresses forwarded to other Boroughs numbered 253, and those received
from, 165. The 165 addresses were received from the following districts :—
Kensington
Hampstead
Willesden
Finsbury
Marylebone
Shoreditch
Westminster
20 lists
11 „
2 lists each
5 lists
3 lists each
Chelsea
Fulham
St. Pancras
Battersea
Camberwell
Islington
City of London
2 lists
each.
1 list
each.