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 Southwark, Borough of]
This page requires JavaScript
102
Report on the Sanitary Condition of the Park Street Area.
The Area is bounded on the north by Banksideand the River Thames,
011 the south by Park Street, on the west by the City of London Electric
Lighting Station, and on the oast by various wharves and warehouses
abutting on Skin Market Place and Bankside. The length of the area
is 378£ feet, and the average width is 125 feet.
The extent of the area is 42,350 superficial feet, or nearly one acre.
By a census taken on March 23rd, last, the population was found to
be 545. The number of persons resident in the various Courts and Alleys
was, 53 in White Hind Alley, 50 in Noah's Ark Alley, 44 in Taylor's Yard,
97 in Park Street, 13 in Skin Market Place. 11 in Winnery's Rents, 167 in
Moss Alley, 100 in Ladd's Court and 10 in Prince's Buildings or Court.
The total number of houses in the Area is 91. The structural and
sanitary state of the houses and the number of floors and rooms are set out
in Table A.
It will bo seen on reference to Table A that all the ground floors are
dry, well ventilated, and with the exception of 70 to 80, Park Street,
are either level with, or above the height of the adjoining pavement. The
watercloset, which in every case is situated in the yard, is well constructed
and efficient; the yard paving in every case is in fair condition.
The rooms have an average size of 11 feet square and, with few
exceptions, are clean and in fair repair. There are no back to back houses
in the Area. The worst feature of the houses is their condition as regards
light and ventilation. In the Alleys and Courts the lower rooms of the
houses are more or less dark, and many of them are below the ordinary
standard in regard to these two important health requisites. With the
exception of No. 9, White Hind Alley, which is of wood, the whole of the
houses are of brick construction, and in a fair state of preservation.
The site is 12.4 above datum, which is higher than many other parts
of the Borough, yet the proximity of the site to the river must render the
subsoil liable to constant dampness. The dryness of the ground floor is
due to the ample space beneath the floors for ventilation purposes.
Each house has an open space or back yard although this open space
in many cases is very small as can be seen by reference to the map
accompanying this report.