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with reference to the number of St. Pancras families provided with accommodation by the
London County Council during the year:—
(a) On recommendation of the Borough Council 49
(b) Other cases of special hardship 22
(c) From the London County Council General List 243
The above mentioned comprised families who could afford the necessary rent, plus
travelling expenses, and whose work permitted them to live at a distance.
Efforts were made in these cases to obtain the accommodation vacated in order to relieve
overcrowding in other families living in the house or in adjoining premises, and in a number
of instances the owners co-operated in the manner desired.
The Estates Committee, in allocating accommodation in new flats provided during the
year by the Borough Council, also exercised due discretion in selecting families whose need
was great by reason of living under overcrowded conditions.
In several instances Closing Orders were made with reference to families living under
conditions of serious overcrowding in underground rooms which were defective or insanitary.
Legal proceedings were also taken in one very flagrant case of quite unnecessary overcrowding.
The family income was ample, but, owing either to apathy or demoralisation, no
effort was made to procure more suitable accommodation. The family consisted of man, wife,
and 13 children, comprising sons of 25, 23, 21, 17, 15, and 10, and daughters of 19, 13, 8, 7,
5, 2, and 1 years of age. Rent 13s. 6d. per week for three rooms, one of which, quite small,
was used for living purposes only, and in the other two rooms the parents and 13 children
slept.
A family income of more than £10 per week was admitted, but it was estimated that
the actual earnings were about £14.
An order to vacate the premises within 28 days was made, and within that period
suitable and satisfactory accommodatiou was secured.
Underground Rooms.
Housing Act, 1025, Section 18, as amended by the Housing Act, 1030.
In consequence of the shortage of housing accommodation, it was considered inadvisable
to take action in connection with the above, except in serious cases of overcrowding in rooms
which were very bad structurally. Closing Orders were made by the Council in the following
cases, prohibiting their use for sleeping purposes:—
1, Grange Road (one room).
196, High Street, Camden Town (two rooms).
75, Maiden Road (one room).
93, Maiden Road (one room).
In order to ascertain the extent to which underground rooms were at present being
used, the undermentioned Inspectors have recently made a special survey in all areas where
such rooms were likely to be used for sleeping purposes.
Definite information was desired, not only for statistical purposes but in order that
preference could be given to persons living in unsatisfactory basement rooms whenever any
alternative accommodation became known to the department.