Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, London, Borough of]
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"Domestic factory," " Domestic workshop''—A private room or dwelling
where a trade process is carried on by the members of the family residing
therein (F. & W. A., Sec. 115).
"Workplace"—
"A place or premises shall not be excluded from the definition of a factory
or workshop by reason only that the place or premises is or are in the
open air "(F. & W. A., Sec. 149).
In Bennett v. Harding (1900, 2 Q.B 397) it was held that the term
"workplace" was not to be limited to places where manufacturing
processes were carried on, but should include any" place where work
is done permanently and where people assemble together to do work
permanently of some kind or other."
"Bakehouse"—Any place in which are baked bread, biscuits, or confectionery,
from the baking or selling of which a profit is derived
(P. H. L. A., Sec. 141).
"Underground bakehouse"—A bakehouse any baking room of which is so
situate that the floor is three or more feet below the surface of the footway
of the adjoining street, or of the ground adjoining or nearest to the room
(F. & W. A., Sec. 101).
"Baking room"—Any room used for baking or for. any process incidental
thereto (F. & W. A., Sec. 101).
DEFINITION OF UNDERGROUND ROOM AND UNDERGROUND
BAKEHOUSE.
The following is the opinion given by Messrs. Cunliffes and Davenport on
the 9th November, 1901, upon a report made by me upon this subject.
Underground rooms.
The definition of an underground room is now entirely derived from the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, Section 96.
By sub-section (9) of that Section an underground room includes any room
of a house, the surface of the floor of which room is more than three feet
below the surface of the footway of the adjoining street or of the ground
adjoining or nearest to the room.
By sub-section (C) every underground room has to be provided with an open
area as therein prescribed, upwards from six inches below the level of the
floor.
The ground "adjoining or nearest to the room" must, we think, mean
ground other than such area, and would include back garden, or back yard, or
any other neighbouring surface other than such area.
The result is that in our opinion unless the floor of a back room is more
than three feet below the surface of the adjoining ground as above defined, it
is not an underground room.