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35
HOUSING
The inspections made during the year for all purposes including Annual Cleansing, numbered
4,382. Table XXVI. shows the defects, etc., requiring attention. The most striking figures
are those relating to dirty (3,275) and verminous (344) rooms. Defective roofs (251) also bulk
largely.
Overcrowding.— The number of cases (2) reported is very small, and form a striking
contrast with the number reported in 1913. (See below.) For reasons which have already
been stated under Unfit Houses and elsewhere, cases of slight overcrowding were passed
over during the past year, but as will appear in the Section headed Annual Cleansing

there is good reason to hold that legal overcrowding was not so prevalent last year as
before the war, notwithstanding the deficiency of housing accommodation.
Annual Cleansing.— No attempt was made to secure the cleansing of every house on the
Register that being more than the two Inspectors could undertake with their other work.
Before the War each of the District Inspectors had certain of the "Registered Streets"
allotted to him for this work, now owing to the arrears of other work it is impossible to make
such allocation. Even with the restriction of the Annual Cleansing, some 6-8 months are
required for completion.
No particulars have been taken out separately for the Annual Cleasing, the figures in
Table XXVI. including defects. etc., found in connection with the work. Summaries were
prepared of the population found in the streets dealt with, the analysis of which has disclosed
an unexpected improvement in the housing conditions.
The streets selected for special cleansing were—
Clarendon Street Area— Waverley Road Area—
Cirencester Street Philip Terrace Alfred Road Paignton Street
Clarendon Street Ranelagh Road Brindley Street Torquay Street
Dartington Terrace Senior Street Hampden Street Waverley Road
Desborough Street Statham Street Waverley Terrace
Hasborough Street Woodchester Street
Westbourne Terrace North
Amberley Road Area— North Wharf Road Area—
Amberley Road Church Place Hermitage Street
Braden Street Dudley Street Wellings Place
Netley Street Star Street
In the above tabulation the streets have been grouped under the headings of the "Special
Areas" so frequently referred to in these reports.
In the above streets 3,510 tenements were inspected last year, comprising 7,362 rooms
occupied by 12,632 persons, of whom 3,496 were children under 10 years of age. Comparing
the foregoing with the records of 1913—the last year when the Annual Cleansing included a
complete enumeration—it appears that on that occasion 3,550 tenements were inspected comprising
7,404 rooms occupied by 12,599 persons, of whom 3,892 were children under 10 years
of age:—
Differences
1913 1921 (1921)
Tenements 3550 3510 -40
Rooms 7404 7362 -42
Occupants, Total 12599 12632 +33
Aged under 10 years 3892 3496 -396
10 years and upwards 8707 9136 +429
The numbers of tenements and of rooms inspected on both occasions were to all intents the
same, as also the total number of occupants. The returns for last year show, however, a
decrease of 10.2 per cent. in the number of children under 10 years of age and an increase of
4'9 per cent. in occupants aged 10 years and upwards. The average number of occupants
(all ages) per tenement increased from 3.54 in 1913 to 3.60 in 1921, and per room from 1.701
to 1.715, both changes being insignificant.