London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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City of Westminster 1908

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]

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133
Street, Clark's Cottages, &c. Most of it was old and in bad condition,
as the death-rate of 26.4 in 1901 hears evidence. In addition to the
City Dwellings (statistics relating to which are given in the Annual
Report for 1907, p. 19), the Ecclesiastical Commissioners are erecting
dwellings and large police barracks have recently been constructed.
The only part of 'this district to which exception might be taken is
Douglas Place. It is practically a narrow alley, affording poor access
for light and air. It consists now of 14 cottages, containing 4 rooms
each, inhabited by 20 families, consisting of 53 persons. There have
been 11 deaths there in seven years, 3 being from consumption and 2
from diarrhoea.
Districts 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 are grouped round Vincent Square,
and the first three adjoin No. 11.
District No. 15.—The census population was 1,014. This district
does not contain any of the poorest class. It includes St. Augustine's
Mansions and some good working-class tenements over shops in
Chapter Street. There are good-class dwelling houses in Vincent
Square (south-west side), some of which are let in apartments.
There are shops and apartments in Vauxhall Bridge Eoad, and the
better artisan class are housed in the streets running from Vincent
Square and the latter road. The existing property here consists of
houses of three and four storeys, old, but in fair condition. Some
demolition, however, has occurred in Edward and Alfred Streets, and
there are no old houses now standing in Douglas Street. Some
business premises are being built on part of the cleared sites, and a
large new block (Brabazon House, 140 residents and servants) has been
erected in Douglas and Edward Streets. The mortality rates have
been satisfactory during the seven years, and the substitution of better
class dwellings for those in Yauxhall Bridge Boad and the adjoining
streets will tend still further to reduce it.
District No. 16.—The census population was 853, but it must have
fluctuated considerably in the last seven years owing to demolition
having been carried out to a fair extent in Chapter, Douglas, and
Frederick Streets and in Hide Place. Some new business premises
have been constructed on part of the cleared area, and the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners have built dwellings accommodating 148 persons, opened
in 1907, in continuation of their dwellings in Begency Street; there
are good private houses, some let in apartments, in Vincent Square, and
some older working class dwellings (Chapter Chambers), a two-storeyed
block housing 175 people of the artisan class. This block does not
appear to have specially influenced the mortality rates. The district,
like No. 15, enjoys the advantage of abutting on the large open space
of Vincent Square, and its general healthiness appears to be satisfactory.