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124
There are a number of small courts between Tufton and Marsham
Streets, and running out from Wood Street. In several instances
these are very confined, the ground floor rooms are damp and often
dark, but the houses are fairly well maintained and some of the worst
ground floor rooms are not used for habitation. The tenants appear to
take greater care of these cottages, even when more than one family
occupy them, than do the dwellers of the larger houses in the main
street. These courts do not appear to contribute disproportionately to
the mortality.
Marsham Street is half in No. 3 and half in No. 5 District. The
houses as a rule are of three floors, the ground floor being generally
used for business purposes. Some of the houses which were old
and structurally defective have been closed by the owners rather than
carry out works required by the Council. The deaths which were
somewhat high in 1901-4 in the houses on the east side of the street
have been reduced to a half in 1905-7. There is no difference in the
west side. The exact population of the street is not known, but the
rate per house is not so large as it is in Tufton Street. Under the
scheme Marsham Street, which is a very narrow thoroughfare, is to be
widened. The powers of the syndicate for the compulsory purchase of
lands for the purposes of the improvement cease after the expiration of
five years from the date of commencement, which was 1st September,
1906, so that this street will doubtless be dealt with at an early date.
District No. 5.—This district includes one side of Great Peter Street,
Chadwick Street, Monek Street, 36 to 68 Marsham Street, Medway
Street, Arneway Street, Laundry Yard, Blue Anchor Court, and part of
Horsef'erry Eoad (74 to 162). It contains a large common lodginghouse
for men. By deducting its inmates (461) from the census estimate
of 2,379 a population of 1,918 is arrived at.
Probably the census figures are less than the true number of
residents, for in the same year (1901) a house-to-house inquiry was
made by the City Council in this sub-district to ascertain the class of
persons living therein for whom house accommodation might be required,
and the inquiry agent reported that-there was an admitted population of
2,934 persons in 655 tenements, 664 being men, 781 women, and 789
children. Doubtless there was then a considerable amount of overcrowding,
for even now when constant inspection takes place instances
of it are frequently detected. Whichever basis be taken the deaths
give an extremely high rate. On the assumption that the population,
less common lodging-houses, has been maintained at about 3,000, the
average death rate of the seven years would be 23'3. There have,
however, been some alterations, due to stricter sanitary supervision,
pulling down of part of Laundry Yard and Great Peter Street, and the