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and for the Gas Light and Coke Company to instal gas in such houses only for
cooking and heating purposes, subject to payment by the Council of £1 for the
gas mantel register to be provided by the gas company in the second bedroom
of each house. The houses previously erected on the estate were installed with
gas for lighting as well as cooking, etc., but in some cases electricity is now being
substituted for lighting.
The provision of hospital accommodation for the Thames-side area, which
includes Becontree, has been a matter of earnest consideration for several years
and a definite scheme for the area has now been formulated for the establishment of a
new voluntary general hospital of some 300 to 400 beds. An arrangement has been
made, under the supervision and with the support of King Edward's Hospital Fund
for London, and with the concurrence of the Minister of Health, for the authorities
of the Ilford Emergency Hospital to use their existing cottage hospital as a nucleus
for the new general hospital which will be erected contiguously. The hospital will
be administered by a board of management constituted from each of the several
districts to be served by it, and each district will be safeguarded as regards its right
of treatment. H.M. the King has graciously consented to the new hospital being
named "The King George Hospital" and T.M. the King and Queen have shown
their sympathy with the scheme by contributing to the funds. The authorities
of King Edward's Hospital Fund for London agreed to make a first contribution
of £10,000 towards the capital cost and the Council on 6th November, 1928, agreed to
contribute £10,000 subject to adequate voluntary contributions being forthcoming
from other sources. The Chairman of the Council (who had taken an active part
in the question from its inception) and the Lord Mayor of the City of London issued
a joint public appeal for funds.
The Council, both directly and through the Minister of Transport, has repeatedly
urged upon the railway companies concerned the need for improvements in railway
facilities for Becontree. In connection with the London, Midland and Scottish
Railway Bill, 1927, an undertaking was given in the House of Commons that the
railway company would put forward proposals within two years, i.e., by March
1929, for improving the services on the Southend and Tilbury lines passing through
or near the estate. On several occasions in 1928 the Council pressed the company
to state what progress had been made with the formulation of their proposals and in
November, 1928, a conference was held between representatives of the Council and
the Company to discuss the general outlines of the company's scheme which, so far
as it related to Becontree, included provision for the extension of the Metropolitan
District Railway electric train service from Barking to Dagenham, improvements
of the steam train services from Fenchurch Street and Broad Street and the provision
of a new railway station (in place of the existing halt) at Gale-street on the estate.
The Council viewed with favour the main features of the company's proposals
which were being considered in detail at the end of the year. Adequate land has
been reserved at Becontree for the widening of the Southend line, for the station
at Gale-street, and for a goods yard, sidings, etc.
The Council in August, 1928 urged upon the Minister of Transport and the railway
companies concerned the need for widening certain bridges at or near Becontree
over the London and North Eastern Railway and the London, Midland and Scottish
Railway and suggested that the Minister should convene a conference at which
the whole question could be discussed. A preliminary conference was arranged
to be held in January, 1929, between representatives of the Council, the Ministry
of Transport and the several highway authorities.
The total area of Bellingham (Lewisham) is 252 acres, and, under the main
contract, completed in 1923, for the development of the portion of the estate devoted
to working-class dwellings (176½ acres), 2,096 houses and flats have been erected.
A few vacant plots were left, on which 32 additional houses are now being erected
Bellingham.