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been decided in a Court of Law that in these circumstances they are not subject to the Byelaws
for houses let in lodgings, or occupied by members of more than one family:—
Name and situation of Artizans* Block Dwellings. No. of Tenements. One Room. Two Rooms. Three Rooms. Four Rooms Five Rooms or more. No. of Inhabitants.
WEST DISTRICT.
Albion Buildings, No. 21, Bartholomew Close .... 10 .... .... .... 22
Albion Buildings, No. 22, Bartholomew Close .... 10 .... .... .... 14
Bartholomew House, Bartholomew Close 14 3 34
Dean Street Blocks, Fetter Lane—
Block A 5 2 .... .... ....16
„ B 2 3 .... 1 .... 15
„ C 4 2 .... 1 ....18
„ D 6 1 .... 1 .... 17
„ E 7 1 1 .... .... 15
„ F 4 3 .... .... .... 13
St. Ann's Chambers, Ludgate Hill 3 15 .... 1 .... 36
Bloomfield House, Snow Hill .... 16 .... 4 .... 42
Total (Six "Blocks") 45 66 1 8 – 242
MIDDLE DISTRICT.
Bridgewater House, Fann Street 7 .... 1 1 14
City Buildings, Moor Lane 1 21 11 .... .... 76
Total (Two "Blocks") 1 28 11 1 1 90
EAST DISTRICT.
Harrow Alley and Stoney Lane—
North Block .... 48 8 .... .... 181
South „ 5 22 13 134
Prince's 5 50 .... .... .... 158
Queen's „ 5 40 5 .... .... 137
King's „ 8 16 16 121
Barker's Buildings, Catherine Wheel Alley, Bishopsgate 9 5 2 1 .... 43
Bearsted House, Hutchison Street .... .... 8 16 .... 109
Total (Three "Blocks") 32 181 52 17 .... 903
These eleven blocks contain 444 tenements, and are inhabited by 1,235 persons—an
average of 2.7 persons to each tenement.
HOUSING SCHEME.
The housing schemes which have been undertaken by the City Corporation during
recent years, and which were necessitated by the demolition of certain insanitary areas in
the City, are now practically completed, and in order to determine whether any extension
of these, or the promotion of any new schemes are necessary, I have, personally, during
the past year, made a special point of conducting an inspection of the residential property
still remaining in the City which might be regarded as coming within that class, demolition
of which was possibly desirable. As a result of this inspection I formed very definite conclusions,
based on the examination of these houses, primarily from a sanitary point of view,
but not neglecting an examination of the type of persons who inhabit them. I found that:—
(1) The large majority of the houses inspected could not be closed.
(2) The few remaining for consideration are obviously only awaiting the removal
of the Rent Restriction Act or cessation of tenancy before demolition
is effected on economic grounds.
(3) The majority of persons inhabiting the few houses on which a closing order
would be within the range of possibility are not of the class and type who
would, or could, be housed comfortably in such accommodation as was
available at the time of my inspection, in the property erected by the
Corporation under the housing scheme in the neighbourhood of Middlesex
Street, due regard being paid to environment and enhanced rent.
One of the difficulties in determining that a house was unfit for occupation results from
the rigid attention which has been given to the Corporation Bye-laws under the system of
sanitary supervision in vogue in the City, as none of the houses were uninhabitable as a result