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I
APPENDIX;
Concerning certain details relating to the flooding of tho Millbank Area
on January 0.7, 1928 and the formation of the Millbank Improvement Scheme.
The conditions connected with the occurrence of the flood and its after effects
were generally referred to .11 the preface to the report of last year. It now remains
to amplify this reference with certain details which have been reported to the Council
from time to time. Certain of tho principal considerations embodied in the Improvement
Scheme are also mentioned here and copies of that part of the scheme which
was prepared by the Medical Officer of Health and his staif have been submitted
to the Ministry of Health and the London County Council.
The area adjoins the Thames and its boundaries are set out in the rough sketchplan
on page IV. The buildings 011 it consist firstly of working-class dwellings of
three main types (1) large, old houses, formerly family mansions on the river front,
(2) houses of three or four storeys and (3) cottages. At least four streets consist
entirely of the cottage type. There are also 76 premises of commercial nature
including some 20 garages, 13 shops and 5 public-houses. All the buildings were
built about a century ago with the exception of the London Ice Club and the Centre
of the Westminster Health Society.
As regards the levels of the buildings which were subjected to the flood it was
estimated that 131 buildings were dangerously below flood-level and 319 were below
flood-level. These figures relate not only to the Millbank area but to adjoining
districts. All basements whether of dwelling houses or other premises were completely
inundated. It was ascertained that in dwelling houses some 12 were illegally occupied
as separate dwellings. It is worthy of note to remark again that of the ten fatalities
only one occurred in an illegally occupied basement.
On the night of the flood the papulation of the Millbank area is estimated to have
been 1,955, consisting of 037 families. Of these 004 were deemed to be workingclass
families comprising 1,892 persons.
As to the measures adopted for the relief of the victims of the flood it was
mentioned last year that damaged furniture and household effects were removed
from 619 houses. These articles were carefully checked by the Sanitary Inspectors
as taken from each house and recorded in order to meet claims likely to be submitted
to the Mayor's Fund. An intensive sanitary survey of the entire flooded area was
meantime being carried out, and owners were required to make good the damage
to structure wrought by the flood. In those cases where the owners required financial
assistance, builders' estimates and specifications were carefully examined before
recommendations were passed to the sub-committee specially set up by the Mayor
to deal with this aspect of relief. The following figures indicate the extent of the
operation of the Mayor's Fund:—
Number of flooded houses, 722; number of premises outside the Millbank area
where owners were assisted in making good structural damage, 137;
amount so expended from Mayor's Fund, £3,331; number of cases relieved
for damage to furniture, household and other effects, 1,100; amount so
expended from Mayor's Fund, £19,403.
The damage caused by the flood fell most heavily on the Millbank Estate proper.
Here in almost every instance the houses were owned by a large firm in terms of a lease
from the Grosvenor Estate. It had been the intention in due course to develop
the whole estate when the working-class dwellings were no longer fulfilling this
purpose. The Rent Restrictions Acts and the scarcity of working-class accommodation
were governing factors in delaying this project. These working-class