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bakehouses not previously in use as such. He moreover advocated the compulsory registration and annual
licensing of all bakehouses. The medical officer of health of St. Marylebone also called attention to the
subject of bakehouses in the course of last year, and caused a special inspection of the bakehouses in his
district to be made.
On referring to the annual reports of medical officers of health for 1892, specific mention of
bakehouses will be found in most instances. In the majority of cases the statement is made that the
bakehouses have been regularly inspected, and in many of the reports a list of the bakehouses in the
district is given. The medical officer of health of St. George, Hanover-square, again states it to be his
opinion that legislation is necessary to compel the closing of all bakehouses that are situated in underground
rooms. The medical officer of health of St. Pancras alludes to the extreme difficulty of
cleansing and ventilating underground bakehouses. The medical officer of health of Holborn discusses
the question of watercloset accommodation for workers in bakehouses. The reports of the medical
officers of health of Shoreditch and Bethnal-green are highly condemnatory. In the former it is
stated that only 30 bakehouses out of a total of 104 are satisfactory, while in the latter only 7 were
found satisfactory out of a total of 102. The medical officer of health of Bethnal-green writes, " I
am afraid the bakehouses are not sufficiently well looked after. They require frequent inspection, and
should be visited at least four or five times a year, but your present staff of inspectors are too fully
occupied to devote sufficient time to them, and I think that the appointment of a workshop inspector
as recommended by the Sanitary Committee should be at once proceeded with."
Before detailing the results of an inspection of bakehouses in London, which has recently been
made by Dr. Hamer and Dr. Young on behalf of the Council, it may be well to briefly indicate the
nature of the requirements of the existing law with respect to the sanitary condition of bakehouses.
The statutory enactment regulating the sanitary condition of retail bakehouses in London, that
is to say, of places " in which are baked bread, biscuits or confectionery, from the baking or selling of
" which a profit is derived," may be considered under two headings, viz.—
(a) Enactments peculiar to bakehouses.
(b) Enactments applicable to bakehouses in common with other workshops.
These are to be found in the Factory and Workshop Acts of 1878 and 1883, and in the Public
Health (London), Act, 1891.
(a) Enactments peculiar to bakehouses.
The Factory and Workshop Act, 1878. Section 34 provides that the inside walls of every bakehouse
shall either be painted or varnished or be limewashed. If paint or varnish be used, it must be
renewed every seven years, and be cleansed every six months; limewashing must be renewed every six
months. Section 35 prohibits the use as a sleeping place, of any place on the same level as the bakehouse,
and forming part of the same building, unless it be effectually separated from the bakehouse,
and has adequate external ventilation.
The Factory and Workshop Act, 1883. The provisions contained in section 15 of this Act apply
only to bakehouses newly occupied after June 1st, 1883. Section 15 provides that—(i.) No water-closet
shall be within, or communicate directly with the bakehouse—(ii.) The cistern supplying water to the
bakehouse shall be distinct from the cistern supplying a water-closet—(iii.) No drain or pipe carrying off
faecal or sewage matter shall have an opening within the bakehouse. Section 16 authorises a court of
Summary Jurisdiction to impose a fine not exceeding forty shillings if satisfied that any room or place
used as a bakehouse (whether the same was or was not so used before the passing of this Act) is in such
a state as to be on sanitary grounds unfit for use.
The Public Health (London), Act, 1891, section 26, enacts that the above sections in the Factory
and Workshop Acts shall be enforced by the sanitary authority of the district in which the bakehouse is
situate.
(b) Enactments applicable to bakehouses in common with other workshops.
A bakehouse being a workshop is subject to the provisions of the Public Health (London)
Act, 1891, relating to such premises. Section 2 (9) provides that any workshop—(i.) Not kept in a
cleanly state and free from effluvia arising from any drain, privy, earth-closet, water-closet, urinal or
other nuisance—(ii.) Not properly ventilated—(iii.) So overcrowded during worktime as to be injurious
or dangerous to the workers—shall be a nuisance liable to be dealt with summarily under the Act.
Section 38 requires that every workshop shall be provided with sufficient and suitable accommodation
in the way of sanitary conveniences.
In order to ascertain the conditions existing in London bakehouses, inspection has been made by
Dr. Hamer and Dr. Young of these premises in several sanitary districts. Altogether 200 bakehouses
have been visited, some being situated in the central and more crowded, others in the outer districts ;
the results obtained therefore may be taken as fairly representing the state of things to be found in
London bakehouses generally.
They found that in 118 instances the bakehouses were situated below the ground level, or
partially so, many being practically the cellars underneath the baker's shop. In several cases the
lighting and ventilation of these was quite inadequate, and this remark especially applies to the lighting
of the bakehouses by natural means. It may be said in reference to this matter that since a great part
of the work of bread making is carried on late at night and during the early hours of the morning,
when artificial light is necessary under any circumstances, the question of natural lighting loses much
of its significance, it must be borne in mind, however, that at many bakehouses, confectionery is also
made, and work goes on during the daytime as well as at night, and that at bakeries where bread only
is baked, the hours of work range from 11 p.m. to 12 noon or 1 p.m. The necessity of ample natural
light for the purpose of maintenance of cleanliness is of course obvious.
As regards ventilation, it was found during the inspection that in 28 bakehouses the provision
for this purpose was quite insufficient, and with four exceptions these were all underground bakehouses.