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the want of light, air and ventilation are prejudicial to the health of the inhabitants of
the said buildings, and that the demolition of the said buildings is necessary to remedy
the said evils.
(Signed) G. E. Oates,
Medical Officer of Health.
Schedule.
Nos. 12 and 13, Market Street, W. 2.
Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, James Place, Market Street, W. 2, with the adjoining yard."
The area covers some 1,980 square feet. It comprised six houses, four of which were
occupied by a total of ten adults; one was empty and one was used by a builder as a store
house and office. The area was congested, dark and lacking in ventilation, and the houses
thereon were old and worn out.
The following resolutions were passed by the Council.
(a) That the Council, is of opinion the closeness, narrowness, and bad arrangement of
the buildings and want of light, air and ventilation of the dwellings and buildings
comprising the area Nos. 12 & 13, Market Street, W. 2 and Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4,
James Place, Market Street, W. 2, with the adjoining yard, are prejudicial to the
health of the inhabitants thereof; that the most satisfactory method of dealing
with the said evils is by the demolition or re-construction or re-arrangement of
the said buildings, and that the area comprising the said buildings, yard, outhouses
and appurtenances thereof and the site thereof is too small to be dealt
with by an improvement scheme.
(b) That the Special Housing Committee be directed to prepare a scheme for the
construction and improvement of the area above-mentioned for submission to
the Council in due course.
With a view to facihtating the clearing of the site it was considered necessary to make
Closing Orders in respect of certain houses on the site, that is Nos. 2, 3 and 4, James Place and
No. 13, Market Street. These Closing Orders duly became operative and at the end of the year
the site had been partly cleared.
Houses Unfit for Habitation.—Closing and Demolition Orders made in 1919 in respect of
No. 4 Desborough Street were determined upon the completion of the works necessary to make
the premises fit for human habitation.
Underground Rooms.—No rooms were dealt with under the Council's Regulations pursuant
to section 18 of the Housing Act, 1925. Action, however, was taken under section 96 of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, with respect to basement rooms at two houses. At both
houses the illegal occupation of the rooms was discontinued.
Tenement Houses.—There were no additions to the Register, the total remaining the same
as at the close of the previous year, viz., 1,406. The inspections made by the two Special
Inspectors numbered 6,926. Particulars of the defects, etc., discovered and remedied will
be found on pages 40 and 41.
Overcrowding.—Sixteen tenements in registered houses were reported to be overcrowded.
In only four instances was the overcrowding abated before the end of the year, the occupiers
of the remaining twelve tenements being unable to find other accommodation. Owing to
existing social conditions only bad cases of overcrowding are dealt with by official action.
Annual Cleansing.—The usual practice with regard to the selection of special streets for
inspection was followed, a total of 1,011 houses being inspected during the year. Notices were
served for the cleansing and other work which was found to be necessary.
Common Lodging Houses.—The customary inspection was made by the Sanitary Inspector
of the district of the 5 common lodging houses in Kilburn Lane, prior to the annual licensing
by the London County Council.
During the year one case of diphtheria and 8 deaths from various causes occurred
among the occupants of these houses.