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103
These four houses are, perhaps, the least desirable residences in Westminster,
and with others in the City, are the subject of a report by the
Medical Officer ; they contain from 4 to 6 rooms, are approached from
a narrow court between Berwick Street and Wardour Street, and are
occupied by 9 families, 5 being of foreign nationality (4 Chinese and
1 Italian), who are engaged as cooks, &c., at local restaurants ; the other
occupants are porters, carmen and an old-age pensioner. The rents
vary from 9s. 6d. for one room to £1 7 s. 6d. for the whole house.
Tenements and Combined Premises.
Nineteen tenement houses and some 342 combined business and
tenement premises, contain approximately 965 tenements at rents varying
from an average of 7s. 6d. per room up to as much as 20s. a room where
not rent restricted- The general remarks with regard to tenement houses
in the preceding district (No. 2) apply also to these houses.
Industrial Dwellings.
Six blocks of industrial dwellings in this district house 261 families
and vary considerably from the City Council's well-built dwellings in
Marshall Street to an old block of 8 dwellings in Hopkins Street, which
until recently had the description " Healthy Homes " inscribed on the
front of the building. Rents are from 5s. per room in the City Council's
dwellings to 8s. a room or more, and with a tendency to increase in the
others.
The inhabitants of the Soho parts of this and of district No. 2, who
live in the industrial buildings and in the various tenements, are of a
mixed class and comprise many foreigners. They are engaged mostly in
the tailoring trade, or at the various hotels, restaurants and places of
amusement in the vicinity. Though generally these habitations may be
classified as working-class dwellings, there are many occupants whose
incomes lift them above the legal definition of members of the working
classes.
Overcrowding.
Seventeen cases of overcrowding were discovered during the year,
but only 4 infringed the legal standard.
Restaurants, &c.
Places where food is prepared and served to the public number
231, and it will be readily understood that in a district such as this,
where the catering trade is so pronounced a feature, frequent changes
take place. Cafes close down, new ones are opened, entailing many
new visits in addition to periodical inspections.
(7070) H