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 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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97
During the year a number of cases of fresh overcrowding were discovered,
the majority of these occurring in families where children had
attained the ages of one or ten years and had, therefore, reached the stage
when they must be regarded as children or adults respectively within the
meaning of the statute. These could not be held to be offences as that
part of the Act dealing with such cases had not come into force.
This type of fresh overcrowding will naturally arise from time to time
during the next few years, but it is important to remember that until an
offer of suitable accommodation has been made no offence has been committed,
providing application has been made to the Council for alternative
accommodation.
Alleviation of overcrowding was effected in the following instances:—
| Rehoused by the Westminster City Council | 85 |
| Rehoused by the London County Council | 31 |
| Rehoused by Housing Trusts, Societies, Private Corporations, etc. | 39 |
| Families removed to other accommodation in privately owned dwelling-houses | 26 |
| Families who have obtained additional accommodation in privately owned dwelling-houses or where some members of the family have left the household | 66 |
| Total | 247 |
Clearance Areas.
I.—Bateman's Buildings.
This area has been dealt with by the City Council by means of a
Clearance Order made under the provisions of the Housing Acts. It was
considered that the only satisfactory method of dealing with the area was
by way of clearance, not only because of the disrepair and sanitary defects
existing in the individual houses but owing to the bad arrangement of
the houses causing restriction of light and free circulation of air.
The Minister of Health, after a local enquiry, confirmed a Clearance
Order made by the City Council affecting the 11 tenement houses occupied
by 51 families. The tenants are being rehoused by the City Council.
These buildings in the heart of the Soho district comprise three-storeyed
tenement dwellings built on both sides of a court running between Soho
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