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purchased and converted into a maternity and child welfare centre and an office for
the home help service. The transfer to the new centre took place on 11th December.
Division 5. Salmon Lane Welfare Centre, Stepney.—This centre, in leasehold
premises, which were considered unsatisfactory, was closed on 30th September. The
welfare centre activities were combined with those of the existing Commercial Road
Welfare Centre, 671-3, Commercial Road.
Division 6. New Eltham Maternity and Child Welfare Centre, Rusthall Lodge,
46, Southend Crescent.—A welfare centre held in a sports pavilion in Footscray Road,
Eltham, was transferred on 28th February, to better accommodation at Rusthall
Lodge, a large house belonging to the Council which was converted for clinic purposes
to provide more extensive facilities, including school health services.
Division 7. Flower House Welfare Centre, Beckenham Hill Rise.—Bellingham
welfare centre, held in a church hall, was transferred on 10th January to better
accommodation at Flower House, a block of flats on a Council housing estate, where
ground floor space was adapted as a maternity and child welfare centre in the course
of the erection of the flats. This is regarded as a temporary measure until a health
centre can be built in the vicinity.
Downham Health Centre, Churchdown, Downham Estate.—This building, erected
before the war to provide a maternity and child welfare centre, a school health centre,
and two dental surgeries, was almost entirely demolished during the war by a bomb.
The building was rebuilt substantially as originally planned and taken into use on
28th February. The temporary maternity and child welfare centre at Wesley Hall,
Downham Way, was then closed.
Division 8. Alford House Maternity and Child Welfare Centre.—A voluntary
grant-aided maternity and child welfare centre at 156, Kennington Lane, Lambeth,
was closed and a new centre brought into use on 20th November, at Alford House,
Aveline Street, where the Council rents accommodation from a youth club.
Provision of
additional
centres
The following additional maternity and child welfare centres were opened during
the year:—
Division 2. Linnet House Welfare Centre, Charlbert Street, St. Marylebone.—The
St. Marylebone metropolitan borough council prepared plans before the appointed
day under the National Health Service Act, 1946, to include a specially designed
maternity and child welfare centre in a block of flats on a borough council housing
estate. The Council agreed that the building of the centre should be proceeded with
by the borough council, and the centre was completed and brought into use on
5th April. The equipment was provided by the Council and the premises are now
rented from the borough council.
Bickersteth Hall, Grove Place, Hampstead.—Pending the erection of a specially
designed maternity and child welfare centre to serve the New End area, where there
is a growing demand for these services, a temporary centre was opened on 4th October,
in Bickersteth Hall, which is being rented from the church authorities.
Division 6. All Saint's Church Hall, Bercta Road, Woolwich. To meet a growing
demand from the rapidly developing Coldharbour housing estate, Woolwich, an
additional infant welfare centre was opened as a temporary measure in All Saint's
Church Hall, Bercta Road, New Eltham. Eventually a health centre should be
provided to serve this new estate, and negotiations are proceeding to acquire a site.
Building
works in
progress
At the end of the year the following schemes, for which plans had been completed
and Ministry sanctions obtained, were under construction :—
Division 2. Peach Street Day Nursery, Paddington.—The existing Peach Street
Day Nursery consists of a prefabricated building standing on a site required for a
block of flats which will complete a Paddington metropolitan borough council housing