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
St Pancras 1922
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
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in regard to the building of new houses. Local building is rather a contribution to London
housing than to the St. Pancras problem, because as the local accommodation increased, greater
numbers of population would be attracted into the borough.
The housing stringency renders the work of the department much more difficult. In
normal times a house was very readily dealt with, if its condition became very bad, by the
making of a closing order, and this fact had a salutary effect. It is now regarded as impossible
to make closing orders except under very exceptional circumstances, and this very seriously
weakens the power of the local authority in keeping up the standard of the poorer class of dwelling.
In connection with the use of underground rooms as sleeping places there is a similar difficulty,
and many are now so occupied in regard to which the Council successfully prohibited the use
as sleeping places in pre-war days. The suggestion that the families occupying them should be
ejected is met by the fact that there is no alternative accommodation. Similar arguments apply
to overcrowding, except in extreme cases.
It is greatly to be regretted that the by-laws in regard to tenement houses to be made
under the 1919 Act have not yet been made operative. Reference was made to the point in
last year's report, and it is regrettable that we have to wait so long for the lead which the
by-laws should give.
Since the end of the year the Ministry of Health have disapproved the Council's proposals
in regard to the rebuilding of the first of the insanitary areas in Somers Town which had been
recently represented. This matter is referred to below (page 84). It is much to be regretted
that the urgent problem of dealing with the truly awful conditions which exist in this area should
be still further delayed.
Statistics for the year ended 31st December, 1922 (as required by the Ministry of Health):—
| Number of new houses erected during the year:— | |
| (a) Total | 254 maisonettes and flats. |
| (b) As part of a municipal housing scheme | 254 maisonettes and flats. |
| Inspection—(1) Total number of dwelling-houses inspected for housing defects (under Public Health or Housing Acts) | 2,959 |
| (2) Number of dwelling-houses which were inspected and recorded under the Housing (Inspection of District) Regulations, 1910 | 871 |
| (3) Number of dwelling-houses found to be in a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation | r 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. | Nil. |
| 2. 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. |
| 3. Action under Statutory Powers. | |
| A.—Proceedings under section 28 of the Housing, Town Planning, &c., Act, 1919. | |
| (1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which notices were served requiring repairs | Nil. |
(7947)
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