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
City of Westminster 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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81
D. Workshops, &c.
Section 132 of the Factory and Workshops Act directs that " The
Medical Officer of Health of every District Council shall in his annual
report to them report specifically on the administration of this Act in
workshops and workplaces, and he shall send a copy of his annual
report, or so much of it as deals with this subject, to the Secretary of
State," and forms have been supplied giving a summary of what is
required. It is, however, a matter of difficulty in Westminster to
apportion work done, as workshops and dwellings are so intermingled.
The following shows the state of the register of workshops at the end of 1908
| Workshop. | Total Number. | Number in which Women are Employed. |
|---|---|---|
| Tailors, outfitters, shirt makers, hat, cap, and helmet makers | 1,580 | 961 |
| Dressmakers, milliners, embroiderers, lace makers, blouse makers, costumiers, lingerie makers, childrens' outfit makers, feather dying, corset makers, furriers, &c. | 728 | 728 |
| Leather workers, boot and shoe makers, harness makers, &c. | 66 | 29 |
| Carpentry, upholstery, carvers, gilders, &c. | 25 | 15 |
| Surgical and dental instrument makers | 5 | 5 |
| Tobacco manufacturers | 14 | 12 |
| Wig makers and hair workers | 39 | 39 |
| Printing, bookbinding, lithographers, envelope making, stationers, publishers, &c. | 56 | 36 |
| Jewellers, silversmiths and burnishers, diamond cutters and polishers, engravers, &c. | 74 | 22 |
| Metal workers | 45 | — |
| Miscellaneous—Basket making, fancy work, shoe ornaments, hat pins, stamp sorters, postcard tinters, fan makers, artificial flower makers, &c. | 33 | 33 |
| Florists | 26 | 26 |
| Laundries | 49 | 49 |
| Bakehouses | 84 | — |
| "Workplaces where food is prepared | 1,033 | 1,000 |
| Workplaces, other | 110 | - |
New workshops are always being discovered, at the same time the
occupation of premises on the register is constantly changing. Thus
the use of 306 registered workshops was discontinued, and 323 additions
were made to the register during the year; 163 visits of enquiry were
made at places where women were likely to be employed.
The number of inspections of workshops and workplaces is shown in
the accompanying tables. One hundred and twenty-six complaints were
received from the Home Office and were duly investigated; 24 matters
were referred to the Home Office relating to insufficient warming of
rooms, infringement of Truck Acts, working overtime, smells from gas