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 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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Under these a new register is being formed, and during the year in connection
with this and for purposes of supervision, some 8,088 visits were paid to the 1,055
houses on the old list. The number of intimation notices served was 1,043, relating
to cleansing and other defects. Except in 59 cases, where statutory notices were
issued, all of these notices were complied with without the necessity for further
proceedings arising.
In all tenement buildings the provision of lighting arrangements in staircases
called for by Sec. fil of the L.C.C. (General Powers) Act, 1927, has now been made
and appears to be working satisfactorily.
Common Lodging Houses.— The following table contains all the necessaryparticulars
with regard to the licensed premises of this class in the Borough. On
account of the war and the reduction in the number of lodgers, one or two of the
lodging houses were shut down and will not again be used in this way. Of those
still on the list special reference may be made to "Portman House" in which
accommodation is provided for women only. Houses for women are badly needed,
but very difficult to find; houses so well arranged and conducted as "Portman
House" are rare indeed. Established many years ago by Miss Meredith Brown,
this was one of the first of its kind and under the management of Miss Ellen
Homewood must have done an incalculable amount of good and conferred great
benefit on large numbers of women. Towards the end of 1931 arrangements
were made for the transference of the premises and all its activities to the Church
Army under whom there is every indication work no less valuable and splendid will
be carried on.
Situation, etc., of Licensed Common Lodging Houses.
| Address. | Registered Owner. | Registered number of Occupants. |
|---|---|---|
| 54, Bell Street | Eliza Crew | 52 men |
| 2, Burne Street and Lisson Street | Edward J. Higgins | 499 men |
| 29, Circus Street | Catherine Wren | 86 men |
| "Portman House" (late Shaftesbury Institute), Harrow and Daventry Streets, Lisson Grove | The Rev. Prebendary Wilson Carlile, C.H., D.D. | 102 women |
| 637 men 102 women | ||
| Total | 739 | |
A number of visits were paid to all the houses from time to time by officers of
the department and the attention of the person in charge or the London County
Council directed to any matter calling for remedy.
Underground rooms.—The year 1932 saw some improvement in conditions so
far as underground rooms are concerned ; but on account of difficulty in obtaining
other accommodation it is often impossible to deal with cases that should be dealt
with. Actually during the year action was taken in respect of 88 in which the
occupation was definitely illegal and discontinuance secured.
Regulations for the control of underground rooms occupied for sleeping
purposes having been approved by the Minister of Health, were in operation
throughout the year, and assisted considerably in securing improvement of conditions
in a number of cases.