London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1949
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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arrangements had been made for them to obtain an assistance grant. The saving
to the Council as a result of these arrangements will amount to approximately
£2,500 a year. It is not expected that any further patients will be placed under the
guardianship of their friends and relatives solely with a view to affording them
financial assistance unless there are very exceptional circumstances.
Occupation
centres
By the end of 1948 the Council had established seven occupation centres for
mentally deficient persons under guardianship, supervision or on licence from
institutions (5 for children of both sexes under 16 years of age, 1 for girls and women
over 16 years and 1 for boys and men over 16 years). During 1949 nine more centres
were opened (4 for children, 1 for children and elder girls, 2 for elder girls and 2 for
elder boys) and three centres were removed to other premises. The sixteen centres
in operation at the end of the year provided for a maximum total roll of approximately
490. Plans were also nearly finished for the opening of two further centres
(1 for children and 1 for elder boys) early in 1950, to complete the programme for
the provision of accommodation for approximately 550 persons. The centres are
open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from Monday to Friday during primary school
terms. With one exception (Branstone Street) the centres have been established
in hired premises (mainly church halls or similar accommodation) which are the best
obtainable but in many cases are not entirely suitable. At Branstone Street
premises originally used for education purposes serve the needs of that centre very
satisfactorily.
The following table gives particulars of the centres established by 31st December, 1949, with numbers on roll and average attendances in December:—
| (1) Date of opening | (2) Address | (3) Borough | (4) No. on roll | (5) Average daily attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | London Mission, Methodist Hall, Shepherd's Bush Road, W.6 | Hammersmith | 24 | 19 |
| 1948 | St. Margaret's House, 19, Old Ford Road, E.2 | Bethnal Green | 15 | 13 |
| 1948 | Lewisham Methodist Hall, Albion Way, S.E.13 | Lewisham | 30 | 23 |
| Jan., 1949 | Oxford House, Mape Street, E.2 (replacing St. Augustine's, E.9, opened in 1948) | Bethnal Green | 25 | 22 |
| Feb., 1949 | Unity Hall, 56, East India Dock Rd., E.14 | Poplar | 28 | 24 |
| Feb., 1949 | St. Peter's Hall, Clapham Manor Street, S.W.4 | Wandsworth | 27 | 20 |
| Feb., 1949 | Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington Butts, S.E.ll | Southwark | 36 | 27 |
| June, 1949 | Branstone Street, North Kensington, W.10 (also takes elder girls) | Kensington | 45 | 35 |
| Oct., 1949 | Christ Church Hall, Mowll Street, Brixton Road, S.W.9 | Lambeth | 17 | 14 |
| Nov., 1949 | Claremont Central Mission, White Lion Street, N.l (replacing Caxton House, N.7, opened in 1948) | Islington | 34 | 22 |
| 1948 | Fellowship Hall, 182, Hammersmith Road, W6 | Hammersmith | 26 | 24 |
| Jan., 1949 | Old Gravel Pit Hall, Valette Street, E.9 | Hackney | 22 | 19 |
| Jan., 1949 | St. Chrysostom's Hall, Goldsmith Road, S.E.15 | Camberwell | 36 | 29 |