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40
Occupation centres for the mentally defective
During the year, the centre at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington Butts,
was closed, and new centres at Dalston Congregational Church Hall, Bay Street,
and at Cecil Rooms, Chilvers Street, Greenwich, were opened. The centre at Orchard
Mission, Mission Place, Camberwell, which had been closed for war damage repairs
to be carried out, was reopened.
A scheme was under preparation to convert vacant property belonging to the
Council at 9, Spencer Park, Wandsworth, into a permanent occupation centre for
junior and elder girls. This centre, when in use, will replace two other centres in
rented accommodation which is not entirely satisfactory.
School treatment
centres
replaced
School health services
Division 2. 210, Harrow Road, Paddington.—The voluntary committee who
provided a minor ailment clinic at 84, Cirencester Street, Paddington, resigned, and
the opportunity was taken of relinquishing the unsatisfactory premises. The
service was transferred by the Council as from 14th April, to 210, Harrow Road.
Division 5. Whitechapel School Treatment Centre.—New accommodation was
brought into use, on 30th October, after the conversion of a vacant part of the
building housing the Mary Hughes maternity and child welfare centre in Underwood
Street had been completed. Full restoration of pre-war services, comprising minor
ailments, vision and dental sessions was then complete for the first time since the
former centre was destroyed by enemy action in 1941. The new Whitechapel school
treatment centre was renamed "The Ida Samuel School Treatment Centre" in
memory of the late secretary of the voluntary committee administering the centre.
Division 6. Eltham School Treatment Centre.—This centre, which had operated
from a dwelling house at 595, Westhorne Avenue, was transferred on 26th
August, to the maternity and child welfare centre at Rusthall Lodge, and the house
in Westhorne Avenue was released for residential purposes.
New centres
opened
Division 2. St. Marylebone Town hall Extension.—St. Marylebone Town Hall
Extension, erected before the war by the borough council, includes accommodation
for a maternity and child welfare centre and chest clinic. The Council was already
renting the maternity and child welfare centre and rented further accommodation
for a minor ailments and dental centre. The minor ailments centre was opened in
February, but the dental centre has not yet been opened owing to the shortage of
dental surgeons.
Division 7. Downham Health Centre.—School health activities were resumed
on the completion of the rebuilding of this centre, the greater part of which was
destroyed during the war.
Building
work in
progress
Division 5. Bethnal Green School Treatment Centre.—The work of adaptation of
Mowlem Street former special school buildings to provide premises for the Bethnal
Green school treatment centre, which was destroyed by enemy action in 1944, was
approaching completion at the end of the year.
Schemes in
preparation
Division 1. Chelsea School Treatment Centre, 31-33, Brammerton Street.—The
Council decided to purchase these buildings which had been held previously on a
short tenancy and to draw up a scheme to improve the accommodation.
Division 2. Westminster School Treatment Centre.—The Council was informed
that accommodation, which had been used for many years at the Western Dispensary,
Rochester Row, and at 41, Greencoat Place, would cease to be available. The Council
decided, therefore, to purchase a house at 40, Alderney Street, and to convert it into
a school health centre.