London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
St George (Southwark) 1895
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southwark, The Vestry of the Parish of St. George the Martyr]
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Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health—1895.
47
Being in doubt as to the exact meaning of the last-mentioned sub-section, I
wrote to the Home Office, asking them kindly to furnish me with
1.—A definition of an underground bakehouse.
2.—Information as to whether or no, in the case of an underground bakehouse in
use, say in January, 1895, closed in December, 1895, and re-opened on 1st January,
1896, the same could be legally occupied on or after the last-mentioned date.
In reply to these questions the following letter has been received by me :—
Whitehall,
10th February, 1896.
Sir,
In reply to your letter of the 30th ultimo, respecting underground bakehouses,
I am directed by the Secretary of State to say that whether a place was or
was not "used as a bakehouse " at the commencement of the Factory and Workshop
Act, 1895, is a question of fact to be determined in each case on consideration of all
the circumstances. Temporary closing does not necessarily constitute disuse.
In the same way the question whether a bakehouse is underground is a question
of fact, which has to be considered in each case on its merits. No precise measurements
have been laid down by the Act.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
HENEY CUNYNGHAME.
F. J. Waldo, Esq., M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health to the Vestry of St. George the Martyr,
Vestry Hall, Borough Eoad, S.E.
Regulations for Bakehouses.
Factory and Workshop Act, 1878, and Factory and Workshop Amendment Act, 1883.
Sect. 34.—All the inside walls of the rooms of such Bakehouse
and all the ceilings or tops of such rooms (whether such walls, ceilings,
or tops be plastered or not) and all the passages and staircases of such
Bakehouse shall either be painted with oil or varnished, or be limewashed,
or be partly painted or varnished, and partly lime-washed;
where painted with oil or varnished, there shall be three coats of paint
or varnish, and the paint or varnish shall be renewed once at least in
every seven years, and shall be washed with hot water and soap
once at least in every six months ; where limewashed, the limewashing
shall be renewed once at least in every six months.
A Bakehouse in which there is any contravention of this Section shall be deemed
not to be kept in conformity with this Act.
Sect. 35.—A place on the same level with a Bakehouse, and forming part of the same
building, shall not be used as a sleeping place unless it is constructed as follows
that is to say, unless it is effectually separated from an external glazed window of at
least nine superficial feet in area, of which at least four and a half superficial feet are
made to open for ventilation. Any person who lets or occupies, or continues to let
or knowingly suffers to be occupied, any place contrary to this Section, shall be liable
to a fine not exceeding for the first offence, twenty shillings, and for every subsequent
offence five pounds.
Sect. 15.—It shall not be lawful to let or suffer to be occupied as a
Bakehouse, or to occupy as a Bakehouse, any room or place which was not
so let or occupied before the 1st June, 1883, unless the following Regulations
are complied with:—
The Factory
and Workshop
Act,
1878.
The Factory
and Workshop
Act,
1883.
Brief particulars of the cases, with results, are given in the following table:—
| Cask | Situation. | Result. | Present Condition. | Remarks. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Completely underground, beneath shop and living l-ooom | Fined 40/- and 2/- costs. Gross defects remedied, structure rendered less unsafe and slightly improved | Structure bad, overcrowded, inefficient ventilation, and otherwise unfitted for use. Depth of cellar recently increased 6 inches by excavation. | Two bakehouses on same level communicating. Both small. Pastry made in front, bread in back cellar. No area. |
| 2. | Completely underground, beneath shop and living room | Fined fullpenaly of 40/- and 23/-costs, after one adjournment. Gross defects remedied, ventilation and w.c. somewhat improved | Ventilation unsatisfactory, drain opening in floor, dark, abuts on street. No back yard or area. | Cellar started as bakehouse in 1817. |
| 3. | Underground: Roof below level of street— beneath shop and living room | Shutters up on arrival of Inspector with official notice | Still closed. | Occupier remarked that he "felt a breeze "after his last interview with the Medical Officer, and so thought it best to shut up shop. |
| 4. | Underground: Roof below level of street—beneath shop and living room | After three adjournments occupier agreed to discontinue for purposes of baking. Ordered to pay 2'- costs | Now in use as restaurant kitchen | Cellar old and delapidated. Two w.c.'s adjacent, insufficient ventilation, and otherwise unfitted for use. |
| 5. | Completely underground, Roof forms floor to archway entry to "model" dwelling, to shop, and to bed and sitting room | Case, after one adjournment, withdrawn, by consent, on occupier promising to close, and pay 2/- costs. Gross defects removed on service of notice. | Recently enlarged and re-opened. Match boarding partition separating from cellar, formerly used as bedroom, having been removed. Still dark and badly ventilated, abuts directly on street, drain-opening communicating with sewer. No area. | Temporarily closed. First used as bakehouse in 1882. * |
| 6. | Completely underground, beneath shop and living room | Fined full penalty of 40/- and 2/-costs. Gross defects remedied, structural faults irremovable. | Still closed. | On the service of a second official notice bakehouse was closed. |
| 7. | Completely underground, beneath shop and living room | Fined 20/- and 2/- costs. Gross defects remedied, structure improved by owner. | Much improved, but still unsatisfactory. | In summer, when wind is from a certain quarter, this small bakehouse is infested by flies from a neighbouring knacker's yard, where glandered flesh may often be seen exposed. Query:—Does baking sterilize bread ? |
| 8. | This case is still pending. |