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political, Parliament, in 1878, when dealing with the Factory and Workshop
Act of that year, transferred the duty of supervising these establishments
to the Factory Inspectors. The Factory Inspectors were too
few in number to perform the duty imposed upon them, so that
practically supervision of bakehouses came to an end, except in some
districts where the Local Authorities directed their officers to continue
inspecting bakehouses, and to take such steps as were possible under
the existing law to secure the best conditions. London bakehouses
fell into a most unsatisfactory state when the duties of the Sanitary
Officials ceased, and the Chief Factory Inspector recommended, in 1881,
that the duty of supervising bakehouses should be taken away from
the Factory Inspectors, and, in 1882, the Local Authorities themselves,
through their Medical Officers, memorialised the Home Secretary to the
same effect, and asking for power to make by-laws regulating the construction,
cleansing, &.c., of bakehouses.
In 1883 the Government brought in and carried a Factory and
Workshop Bill, one of the clauses of which restored to the Sanitary
Authorities their former position, so far as related to the cleanliness,
ventilation, overcrowding and other matters affecting the sanitary
condition of bakehouses, but no power was given to prevent the use of
existing, or the building of new, bakehouses underground, and no power
was given to make by-laws. In 1891 the Public Health (London) Act
and the Factory Act of the same year further increased the powers of
Sanitary Authorities in respect to measures for securing such improved
sanitary conditions of bakehouses as are practicable, having regard to
the underground position of the premises. In the 1895 Factory and
Workshop Act, the law relating to bakehouses was again made more
stringent, and at that time the London County Council attempted, but
unsuccessfully, to influence Parliament to confer upon that body the
power of licensing and inspecting bakehouses. While it might be
desirable, for the sake of uniformity, that the framing of by-laws should
be in the hands of a Central Authority, the duty of inspection and
of carrying them out must be left to the Local Authorities.
In the Factory and Workshop Act of 1901 provisions are laid down
whereby Local Authorities may effect considerable improvement in the
condition of all bakehouses, especially such as are underground, as, after
the first day of 1904, no underground bakehouse may be used unless
certified by the District Council to be suitable as regards construction,
light, ventilation, and in all other respects. After the passing of the
Act, I reported to the Public Health Committee as follows:—
" It is apparent that serious duties will devolve on the Public Health
Committee and on the Medical Officer of Health during the next two
years. I say the . next two years. because it will be clearly essential