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72.
Social Problems
Parts of the Borough have had adverse publicity in recent years by reason
of the 'meth drinkers' and other social misfits. For many centuries, the East
End has offered a haven to successive waves of immigrants since the days of the
Huguenots in the 17th century, through to the Irish famine of the I8th-I9th
centuries,and so to the Jewish people arriving in the late 19th century onwards.
In the last decade, immigrants have included a large number of Asiatics,
usually unaccompanied males later to be joined by their families and dependants.
Coming as they do from a different cultural background, the problem of their
integration is very complex as is discussed elsewhere in the report. However,
the really undesirable 'immigrants' to the area (who are the public nuisances)
come largely from different parts of our own country. The combination of a.
"twilight area" environment, a large number of common and other lodging
houses, and the relative ease of obtaining casual work in the wholesale markets
attracts such persons to the Borough. An almost intractable problem
out of all proportion to their numbers, which probably are not .more than a few
hundred, has now developed. They form a floating population which drifts
between prison, mental hospital, lodging house and derelict sites, according
to their economic state and physical or mental condition.
Organisations and agencies endeavouring to help these people include the
local churches, the Salvation Army, the Church Army as well as .statutory
after-care services. A particularly interesting project commenced this year
in the crypt of a church in the Spitalfields Ward where groups of social misfits
abound. Men with multiple social problems, including alcoholism, are
taken into the community at the Crypt. Facilities for cleansing, delousing,
reclothing and rehabilitation are provided. Help is offered by both medical
staff and trained social welfare workers. The numbers taken into residence
are strictly limited to maintain close supervision within the premises while
not enforcing an excessive authoritarian approach. Another, nonconformist
church group holds an evening 'soup kitchen' type of club. Attenders are
given assistance to find night shelter and such other social help as is
acceptable. A hostel for rehabilitation of those desirous of receiving aid
toward restoring them to normal society is run in conjunction with the plub.
Groups of men live under supervision in a converted house in the locality
whence they can take up work in the neighbourhood. Both these schemes report
some successes but the task is arduous and.full of frustrations in many
instances.
A more debatable approach has been attempted by a non-denominational organisation
whereby volunteer workers live with the misfit and outcast at his
own level. By precept, example and sharing, the intention is gradually to
raise the standards of the clients to a more satisfactory level of life. For
this purpose, a house in an infamous area was used as a haven. However, the
degree of overcrowding and the-associated deplorable standards of hygiene of the
occupants necessitated the Health Department bringing pressure to bear to
abate the nuisances. It is commendable that the lost sheep should be brought
back to the fold but surely not at the expense of the health of the remaining
ninety-nine.