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90 Annual Report of the London County Council, 1913.
For some years past special mention has been made of the use of cheap and free shelters by
women. During the past year the conditions already reported have not materially changed. The
number of really homeless women is comparatively small, and with the exception of Providence-row
Night Refuge and Field-lane Refuge, which are generally full, little use is made of the free accommodation
provided. The Salvation Army Shelter in Hanbury-street, where a charge of 3d. is made, still
has vacant beds, though the number received on the night of the 14th February last shows some increase
on the number received on the census night in 1912. Generally, the female population in common
lodging-houses is declining, and the use of the casual ward accommodation for women has diminished
in proportion to the general reduction in the numbers of casual paupers discussed in the early part of
this report.
A feature of the enumerations of 1909 and 1910 was the system instituted by the Salvation
Army of allowing homeless men to sit and rest for some hours in certain of their shelters after receiving
a free meal of soup and bread. In 1910, as many as 1,428 men were provided for in this way by the
Salvation Armv alone, and 350 men took advantage of similar facilities offered by other charitable
associations. During the winter of 1910-11 this system was considerably modified so far as the Salvation
Army was concerned, and during the past two winters there has been further restriction, so that
there were only 18 men accommodated in this way on the night of the 14th February last, and these
men were received at the City shelter in Middlesex-street. The Church Army in 1911 somewhat
extended its scheme in connection with the King's Tents, but in 1912 dealt with a much smaller number
of men, while the figures for 1913 show a further reduction. The total number of men working or
resting in shelters was 152, as against 1,778 in 1910. It should be pointed out that extended observation
by the Council's inspectors shows that the Embankment has been practically cleared of persons
of this class.
Cheap and free food.—The distribution of cheap and free food has this winter been carried on to
a very much less extent than in former years. The inauguration of the Embankment scheme of the
Metropolitan Asylums Board has, as a matter of course, imposed restriction upon this form of charity
inasmuch as its continuance would have rendered the scheme impracticable. Medland Hall, too, has
discontinued the giving of tickets for bread and margarine. The Euston-road Soup Kitchen, founded
some 65 years ago, still supplies many thousands of cheap and free meals. The Field-lane Refuge
and Ham-yard Hospice provide free meals to individuals and families all the year round. Daily
Graphic coupons are still issued, and are available at Salvation Army and other institutions throughout
London. Several charitable agencies provide single meals such as tea or dinner, but generally it may
be said that the casual pauper is not catered for in this way to the same extent as in former years.
I append the following tables summarising the information obtained on the night of the 14th
February, 1913:—
Table /. shows the number of homeless persons found in streets and on staircases, and their distribution
in sanitary areas.
Table II. shows the authorised accommodation in common lodging houses, the number of beds
occupied, and the number of beds vacant in the City of London and in each metropolitan
borough.
Table III. shows the free accommodation in shelters provided by philanthropic bodies, and licensed
by the Council, but does not include the beds in ordinary common lodging houses
occupied by persons, on the night of the census, whose accommodation was paid for by
charitable organisations.
Table IV. shows the accommodation in shelters not licensed as common lodging-houses.
Table V. summarises the information contained in the second and third paragraphs of the report, and
shows the total number of persons who might be regarded as homeless on the ground of
being unable to pay for a bed, but does not include persons permanently provided for
in public institutions.
W. H. Hamer,
Medical Officer of Health.
27th February, 1913,