London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

St Pancras 1932

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]

This page requires JavaScript

62
This does not necessarily imply a high degree of overcrowding of persona per room, but
it indicates the existence of a very large number of tenement houses, of large size and with an
exceptionally high percentage of sub-letting.
As regards density of persons per room, the table above referred to shows that at the
1931 Census the room density as regards St. Pancras was 1.13 persons per room, as compared
with 1.22 at the Census of 1921.
The average for the County of London at the 1931 Census being 0.98 persons per
room.
According to the report of the Registrar-General on the Census figures, there has been
a considerable reduction in both the numbers and proportions scheduled in the "overcrowded"
category.
As regards existing housing conditions, with the exception of a few houses situated in
mews and a small number in one or two somewhat narrow courts or passages, I think it may
be stated that, owing to the work carried out during recent years by the Borough Council, the
London County Council, the St. Pancras House Improvement Society, by the Office of Works
on the Crown Estate and by private enterprise, there are few, if any, streets now existing to
which the term "slum" could justly be applied.
There are a number of streets in which the houses, although in fair structural condition,
are dirty and neglected, but this is chiefly due to the habits of the tenants, coupled with
the rough usage which is necessarily associated with a large number of persons per house.
The opinion expressed above as to the improvement which has taken place during
recent years is supported by an article entitled "Quicker Slum Clearance" which appeared
recently in the "British Medical Journal."
The article stated: "In some areas remarkable advances have been made in clearing
bad tenement, houses and re-establishing their occupants in modern flats. This is a matter
which has been dear to the heart of the Ministry of Health for many years, and it has
constantly urged local authorities to proceed. The efforts in St. Pancras are a lesson to the
whole Country of what can be done when people of goodwill get together. Those who
remember the horrors of Somers Town ten or twenty years ago can hardly believe their eyes
when they see the pleasant looking blocks that have sprung from the ashes of hideous tumbledown
hovels."
The greatest difficulty at present is the overcrowding which exists amongst the very
poorest section of the community, including those whose employment is irregular, and the
problem of providing, in a central situation, housing accommodation having three bedrooms,
at a price such families can afford to pay (without curtailing the quantity or quality of their
food), is a matter of considerable difficulty.
WORK OF THE ESTATES COMMITTEE OF THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.
The following account of the principal matters dealt with during the year has been
furnished by Mr. W. C. W. Roworth, Clerk to the Estates Committee:—
The Estates Committee is appointed by the Council to "take over, control and manage
"all houses and other properties of the Council, except such as are used by any department of
"the Council for its own purposes; to see that such houses and properties are kept in
"tenantable condition and let at reasonable rents; to prepare schemes under the Housing of