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
Marylebone 1925
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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every house was small and housed three, four or more families, the average number
of persons per room was less than 1.7. Such a figure is very comforting until
individual cases and the conditions as to overcrowding in particular families come
to be investigated. From the census figures also comfort may be drawn.
The table below is taken from the report on the census of 1921 and shows the number of families occupying 1, 2, 3 and 4 rooms and the population in private families :—
| Number of Rooms. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total private families | 5,776 | 7,430 | 4 543 | 3,126 |
| Population in do, | 9,367 | 22,921 | 16,504 | 12 153 |
| Rooms occupied | 5,772 | 14,859 | 13 629 | 12.504 |
The actual number of persons represented in the table is 60,945, rather more
than half of the total population (105,200) at the time of the enumeration.
In respect of measures taken or contemplated to meet the shortage nothing
can be said that was not said in 1919. The situation, so far as the Borough itself
is concerned, is still very difficult. Within the boundaries there is no space upon
which to erect houses to accommodate the working classes. Before houses can be
erected, houses will have to be demolished, and there is probably no site in the
Borough which, if once cleared, even if entirely used for housing purposes, could
provide accommodation for a number of persons appreciably larger than that
dishoused. It is this largely that complicates the housing problem in St. Marylebone,
and makes the task of the Council and its Housing Committee so difficult.
II.—Overcrowding.
(1) Extent. (2) Causes. (3) Measures taken or contemplated to deal
with overcrowding. The information called for under these heads is more or
less given above. (4) Principal cases of overcrowding dealt with during the
year and action taken.
Though the general overcrowding was marked, for various reasons, the number
of cases dealt with was comparatively small. The notices served numbered
4, and for the reason that more or less of a remedy was found in each case, no
proceedings were instituted.
III.—Fitness of Houses.
(1) (a) General standard of housing in the district, and
(b) General character of the defects found to exist in unfit houses.
(2) Action taken as regards unfit houses under (a) the Public Health
Acts, (b) the Housing Acts.
(3) Difficulties in remedying unfitness, special measures taken and any
suggestions in the matter.
(4) Conditions, so far as they affect housing, as regards water supply,
closet accommodation and refuse disposal, together with measures taken
during the year in these matters. All the information asked for here is given
elsewhere in this report or will be found in the table of detailed statistics
appended to this section.
IV.—Unhealthy Areas.
(1) Action taken as regards areas represented before the beginning of
the year under Part I. or Part II. of the Housing Act, 1890. None.
(2) Particulars of, and action taken, as regards areas represented during
the year. None.
(3) Information as to complaints made during the year that areas were
unhealthy and action taken. None received.