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26
Parish of St. George the Martyr, Southwark
Special Report to the Vestry of St. George the Martyr, Southwark.
The following report has been prepared by me in accordance with a resolution
passed by the Public Health and Sewers Committee on September 30th and confirmed
by the Vestry on the 5th of October 1897, to the effect.
"That the Medical Officer of Health be instructed forthwith to inspect the buildings
(Edward House, Lawrance House and Wilfrid House, Potier Place) and report thereon
to this Committee as to their present condition, and suggesting any remedies he may
deem desirable ; such report to be presented to a Special Meeting of the Committee to
be held on Wednesday next, the 6th prox, at 6.30 p.m.—Resolved."
It may be stated generally that the sanitary condition of Edward, Lawrence and
Wilfrid Houses, although not of a good standard, is nevertheless hardly bad enough to
warrant a Closing Order under the Housirg Act. These particular blocks have been a
source of constant anxiety to your sanitary officials. About three years ago one of
them (Wilfrid House) was certified by me, as your Medical Officer of Health to the
Vestry for Closing Order proceedings in default of certain alterations. The alterations
were made, chiefly in the direction of water supply and of water closets, not only in
Wilfrid House but also in the other houses under report. On the whole, the sanitary
condition of all three blocks may be said to have been distinctly improved of late years.
At the same time it must be admitted that there is room for improvement. Many of
the defects are structural, such as roofs and ceilings, and cannot be said to be directly
dangerous to health. The water supply is good. Water closets are of modern pattern,
although occasionally blocked, owing to the habits of those who make use of them.
The dust storage and disposal, especially in Wilfrid House, requires a fresh arrangement.
The main feature as regards water closets is the occasional stoppage. I am told
by the occupants and the keepers of these blocks, that a number of non-resident persons
resort to the passages, staircases and roofs and use the water closets, both by day
and by night. The stoppages of drains are said to be commonly caused by clothes and
other objects thrown into the closets either by occupants or by the outside public.
The regulation of these casual intruders appears to be a matter to which the attention
of the police may very properly be invited.
The actual details of the inspection both by myself and by the District Inspector,
Mr. Ralph, will be found in an Appendix to this report. (See p. 39.)
As to remedies, I should advise:—
(1) Police supervision so far as may be legal, to keep non-residents out of these
houses.
(2) A resident caretaker in each block. (At present none in Wilfrid and Lawrance
Houses.)
(3) That the dust shoot of Lawrance House should be done away with, and that
a galvanised sanitary dust bin or bins be placed in the yard between Lawrance and
Wilfrid Houses for the use of both blocks.
(4) A daily dust collection in all three blocks.
(5) An examination of drainage system of blocks.
(I may add that steps have been taken to remedy structural defects.) With regard
to the whole question of these blocks, the attention of the Vestry may be called to a
passage in my Annual Reports for 1894, 5 and 6, which reads as follows:—
"In this parish, houses built on the so-called 'model' or block system, and
accommodating upwards of 12,800 inmates, at present escape the salutary provisions
of the new bye-laws, (for Houses let in Lodgings.) These dwellings, often inhabited
by uneducated and unruly poor, are for the most part badly supervised.''