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77
Section VIII.— HOUSING.
The housing problem in St. Pancras has been dealt with at some length in former Annual
Reports, and there is no change to record in 1921. The shortage of houses continued, and it
was in many instances found impossible to deal with cases of over-crowding and with the illegal
occupation of underground rooms as sleeping places. Apart from the special difficulties which
have appeared since the war the great problem in St. Pancras is the compression of several
families into single houses which were originally intended for one family only and have never
been altered so as to provide accommodation for more than one family. The majority of the
working-class population in the borough live in such tenement houses. It is hoped that the
tenement house byelaws to be made by the London County Council under the Housing Act of
1919 will not be delayed much longer, as the Borough Council's programme in regard to such
houses must necessarily depend upon the form which these byelaws take.
The Council's scheme of building at Prince of Wales Road and Brookfield was proceeded
with during the year, and particulars as to this matter will be found on page 79, where reference
is also made to the public inquiry which was held by the Ministry of Health on 25th October,
1921, into the Council's Somers Town Improvement Scheme, No. 1.
Statistics for the year ended 31st December, 1921 (as required by the Ministry of Health).
1.— General.
(1) Estimated population 212,900
(2) General death-rate 13.0
(3) Death-rate from tuberculosis 1.43
(4) Infantile mortality 76 per 1,000 births
(5) Number of dwelling-houses of all classes 23,345 (1911 Census)
(6) Number of working-class dwelling-houses 20,982 (estimated)
(7) Number of new working-class houses erected 12 flats
2.—Unfit Dwelling-Houses.
I.— Inspection.
(1) Total number of dwelling-houses inspected for housing defects
(under Public Health or Housing Acts) *2,574
(2) Number of dwelling-houses which were inspected and recorded
under the Housing (Inspection of District) Regulations, 1910 916
(3) Number of dwelling-houses found to be in a state so dangerous or
injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation Nil.
(4) Number of dwelling-houses (exclusive of those referred to under the
preceding sub-heading) found not to be in all respects reasonably
fit for human habitation —
II.— Remedy of Defects without Service of formal Notices.
Number of defective dwelling-houses rendered fit in consequence of
informal action by the Local Authority or their officers Nil.
* Excluding 4,576 visits to house and other premises on complaint.