View report page

The number of dwelling rooms found to be overcrowded during 1911 was 85.
In each case a notice was served, and all were complied with without the necessity for
a prosecution arising.
Underground Rooms.
A considerable amount of work has been done during the year with regard to
underground rooms and a number of contraventions both of section 96 of the
Public Health (London) Act 1891, which refers to the occupation of rooms underground
apart from rooms on an upper floor, and of the Regulations made by the
Borough Council prohibiting the habitual use of rooms underground for sleeping
purposes, have been dealt with.
The total number of cases in which notices were served was 245.
In the case of rooms illegally occupied under the Regulations, the procedure
described in Section 17, (7) of the Housing, Town Planning, etc. Act, 1909, under
which they are made, is that a closing order shall be made and if the occupier of the
room after notice of the order has been served upon him, fails to comply with the order,
an order to comply may on summary conviction be made against him.
Except in 5 cases, occupation of the room for sleeping purposes was discontinued
immediately after receipt of a notice calling attention to the contravention of the
regulations.
The exceptions referred to are basement rooms in one house and closing orders
were made respecting them. These have not been obeyed and the further step of
making application to a magistrate for an order to comply against the occupiers had
not been fully taken at the end of the year.
The actual number of notices served under the Regulations was 64.
In two instances underground sleeping rooms used by employees were found in
connection with bakehouses situated underground. Though it was formerly fairly
usual for master bakers to provide sleeping accommodation for some of their employees
72
Registered
Address. Registered Owner. number of
occupants.
54, Bell Street Alfred Crew 55 men
2, Burne Street and Lisson Street William Booth 499 men
6, Charlotte Place Emma Lawson 7 women
29, Circus Street William H. G. Richardson 100 men
3, Gee's Court Margaretta E. Howell 39 men
4, Gee's Court Margaretta E. Howell 27 men
22, Harrow Street Archibald Nicholl MacNicoll 102 women
47, Hereford Street Alfred Wilson 19 men
45, Lisson Street Alfred Wilson 35 men
3, Little Grove Street Thomas Levy 100 men
12, Molyneux Street Frederick Charles Walters 17 men
13, Molyneux Street Frederick Charles Walters 129 men
7, Venables Street Arthur James Howell 56 men
25, Venables Street Arthur James Howell 18 men
1,094 men
109 women
Total 1,203
Overcrowding.