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 1943
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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Sanitary Inspection.—The total number of complaints received was 1,243 as against 996 in 1942. the increase being
due to the larger number of rat complaints received as a result of publicity campaigns during the year. Details of the
various nuisances detected and remedied, to the total number of 1,438, are set out in Table 4. In 489 cases the nuisances
were abated by the person responsible for their removal after receipt of a preliminary (intimation) notice advising
them of the existence ef the defects. Statutory notices were issued in 28 instances, and referred to such matters as
dirt, dampness, verminous rooms, inadequate ventilation, unsatisfactory water-closet accommodation, inadequate
water supply, defective roofs, defective drains, and to other defects and conditions. In one case legal proceedings were
instituted for failure to comply with a statutory notice and the defendant was ordered to abate the nuisance within
14 days and to pay £5 5s. 53. od costs. Subsequently a fine of £20 was imposed for failure to comply with the Abatement
Order.
TABLE 4.— -Nuisances Detected and Remedied.
| Nature of Nuisance. | Districts. | The Borough. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1. | No. 2. | No. 3. | No. 4. | No. 5. | No. 6. | ||
| Housed damp, dirty or dilapidated remedied | 10 | 18 | 86 | 58 | 14 | 22 | 208 |
| Doors, windows, floors, ceilings, sash cords, grates and flues, | |||||||
| etc., repaired | 7 | 10 | 12 | 19 | 11 | 25 | 84 |
| Verminous dwellings disinfested | 1 | 3 | 35 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 64 |
| Dirty and verminous furniture and bedding cleansed | 1 | 2 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 31 |
| Overcrowding abated | — | - | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Underground rooms (illegal occupation) dealt with | — | — | ' — | — | — | — | — |
| Water closet defects remedied | 4 | 15 | 48 | 32 | 13 | 30 | 142 |
| •Insufficient and unsuitable water closet accommodation remedied | - | - | 3 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 25 |
| Urinal defects remedied | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | 5 | . 10 |
| Drain and water-closet stoppages cleared | 2 | 8 | 15 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 48 |
| Drains relaid or amended | — | — | 14 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 26 |
| Soilpipes and ventilating shafts repaired or renewed | — | 2 | 2 ' | 1 | 2 | 5 | 12 |
| Waste pipe defects remedied | 1 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 31 |
| Yard defects remedied | 1 | 4 | 25 | 16 | — | 2 | 48 |
| Wash-house defects remedied | — | 2 | 12 | 5 | — | — | 19 |
| Area defects remedied | — | 1 | 8 | 20 | — | —. | 29 |
| Basement defects remedied | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Roofs and gutters repaired | 10 | 13 | 37 | 34 | 15 | 8 | 117 |
| Water supply to houses reinstated | 1 | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | - | 6 |
| Water supply laid on to upper storeys | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 |
| Water cistern defects remedied | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | — | 13 |
| Dung or dust receptacles repaired or renewed | 5 | 10 | 5 | 17 | 4 | 10 | 51 |
| Rubbish, manure, etc., accumulations removed | 3 | 12 | 44 | 18 | 9 | 16 | 102. |
| Animal, nuisances abated | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | — | 6 |
| Rat and mouse infestations dealt with | 20 | 33 | 50 | 39 | 68 | 76 | 286 |
| Bakehouses cleansed | — ' | — | — | 1 | — | 9 | 10 |
| Smoke nuisances abated | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Shops—sanitary defects remedied | — | -— | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 5 |
| Miscellaneous | 3 | 8 | 17 | 19 | 6 | 8 | 61 |
SECTION D.—HOUSING.
Survey.—A comprehensive survey of housing conditions in the Borough was carried out by the Department to
determine areas which should be dealt with in relation to post-war housing. Altogether 69 areas were reported upon
to the Housing Committee under the following heads : (1) houses probably unfit; (2) houses of doubtful category ;
(3) areas cleared or on which orders had been made ; (4) premises demolished or seriously damaged by enemy action.
War-Damaged Dwellings.—Steady progress was made with the repair of houses damaged by enemy action, and a
scheme formulated by the Government, which provided for the release of the necessary labour, enabled a number
of houses and flats to be put into a state fit for occupation.
Provision of Further Housing Accommodation.—The Council were also actively engaged in relieving the urgent
need for housing accommodation generally in the Borough by (a) requisitioning houses for conversion into flats, and
(b) granting licences to private house owners to encourage repair work to their properties.
Housing of the Working Classes.—The Council agreed to the development of certain areas in the Borough for the
construction of blocks of flats as soon as circumstances permit.
Inspection of Dwelling-houses.—Number of houses inspected for defects under the Public Health or Housing
Acts—1,211 ; number of-inspections made—3,457 ; number of houses found not to be in all respects reasonably fit
for human habitation—298"; number of defective houses rendered fit in consequence of informal action—312;'
number of houses in which defects wer6 remedied by owners after service of formal notices under the Public Health
(London) Act, 1936—14 ; number of underground rooms in respect of which closing orders were made—36.
Common Lodging Houses.—Thirty-three visits were paid to the two lodging houses in the Borough : one, registered
for 436 men, owned by the Salvation Army and situated at No. 2, Burne Street and premises'in Lisson Street; the
other, accommodating 100 women, conducted by the Church Army at Portman House, No. 10, Daventry Street.
Public Air-Raid Shelters.—The shelters continued to-be used as sleeping places from time to time, and 400
inspections were made by day and night.