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is increasingly taking place in some parts of this district, gives rise to a fierce competition for the
tenement-houses which remain. This is a serious and increasing evil." He suggests the removal
to the country of the poor in the union house occupying three to four acres of land, and devotion
of the site to artizans' dwellings, and he expresses the opinion that the old brewery in Broad-street,
Golden-square, might also well be removed.
Marylebone—Account is given of an area comprised by Nightingale-street, Samford-street,
and certain houses in Salisbury-street, containing a population of about 500 persons. The proposal
to deal with this area under Part II. of the Housing of the Working Classes Act was under the
consideration of the vestry, and eventually it was decided that a representation should be made to
the Council under Part I.*
St. Pancras—The vestry was in communication with the Local Government Board as to
the re-housing of persons to be displaced by the Brantome-place and Prospect-terrace schemes,
and various sites were inspected by the Health Committee for this purpose, the vestry having
decided that additional lands should be acquired for re-housing the remainder of the persons not
re-housed on the areas themselves. The vestry adopted an amended scheme for dealing with the
area at the east end of Chalton-street, and took the necessary steps for carrying out the Chapelgrove
and Eastnor-place improvement schemes.
Islington—The occupation of tenements of less than five rooms is discussed by the medical
officer of health. Referring to the letting in tenements of houses originally constructed for occupation
by a single family, he points out that the houses included in the census
returns as containing more than two persons to a room are for the most part
of this character. The water is not laid on to each tenement, and the cleansing
of the staircases and parts of the house used in common by the several families
is often neglected. He deprecates the encouragement of such use of houses by permitting
rates to be compounded for, and he says that although the reduction of rates may be thought to
be justified by the fact that the rates are paid whether the tenements are occupied or unoccupied,
as matter of fact, the demand for house accommodation is so great that rooms are practically
always occupied. He thinks that before the owner is permitted to allow such houses to be let to
several families he should be required to make suitable provision of water-closets, separate water
supply, storage for coals, means for washing clothes, and pantry accommodation for food.
Strand—The medical officer of health states that he has found that the majority of 340
persons whose houses had in 1898 been closed by the Council in connection with the Clare-market
scheme, have not left the district. Many of them were in receipt of poor relief, and have been
identified by the relieving officer. The poorer class in the Strand district take one or two rooms
for each family, and the accommodation they have since occupied has been vacated by migration
from the district of families who were able to occupy one or two floors. There is now no accommodation
for the inhabitants of further houses which will be closed except outside the district or
in the workhouse. He gives account of the steps taken by the Council to meet this difficulty.
Account is also given of an effort to keep a record of the history of each house in the district which
was not successful owing to insufficiency of clerical aid.
City—In 1894 the medical officer of health made representations as to five houses in
Montague-court, Bishopsgate, which were accordingly closed. In 1898 he again inspected the
remaining houses, twelve in number, and No. 94, Bishopsgate-street Without, certain inhabitants of
the district having approached the Court of Common Council on the subject. The house in
Bishopsgate was " as bad as it could be," but he concurred with the view of a committee of the
Common Council that the houses in the court were not unfit for human habitation.
Bethnal-green—The medical officer of health states that with the exception of the facilities
which Part II. of the Housing of the Working Classes Act gives for getting rid of tenants,
proceedings under it present no advantages over those under the Public Health Act, unless
demolition be contemplated. He does not anticipate this will ever be necessary, as the worst
property has been cleared out, and therefore does not propose to recommend further proceedings
under the Housing Act. He expresses the opinion that the population of the district is increasing,
and states that rents having increased the families occupying tenements are constrained " to take
in lodgers, and to sublet to the utmost capacity of the dwelling; hence overcrowding."
Whitechapel—Referring to the subjects of overcrowding and of high rents, the medical
officer of health writes that he is " aware that some exaggeration has taken place in considering the
former. As regards the latter, it is most probable that therein will be found the kernel of the
whole problem. While it is possible for property to fetch a sum at public auction which will
allow to the purchaser five per cent. on his outlay, and when the cost of structural alterations and
repairs are added to the purchase-money, how can the future tenants obtain possession without
paying high rents. This explains the reason for people offering large premiums for the keys, and
engaging to pay increased rents; this explains why the new tenants have to sub-let to the utmost
capacity of the premises. This condition has been continually increasing, and the end of the
difficulty has not yet been reached." He suggests that no public money should be advanced to
builders of residences for the working-classes where the rent per room was not limited to 2s. 6d.
or 2s. 9d. per week.
St. George-in-the-East—Account is given of Waterloo-court, seven houses in which the
medical officer of health represented under the Housing of the Working Classes Act. The
magistrate declined to make a closing order. The court is a narrow cut de sac, with thirteen houses
on one side having backyards, and seven houses on the other side without backyards, but having
yard spaces at the side. They were not in bad repair.
* The Council has since decided to carry out an improvement scheme for this area.