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 1946
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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under the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, in respect of failure to comply with a statutory notice requiring the
repair of a defective water-closet. The necessary work having been completed before the Court hearing, the abatement
order summons was withdrawn, but £3 3s. Od. costs were awarded to the Council.
TABLE 5.—Nuisances Detected and Remedied.
| Nature of Nuisance. | Districts. | The Borough. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1. | No. 2. | No. 3. | No. 4. | No. 5. | No. 6. | ||
| Houses damp, dirty or dilapidated remedied | 39 | 92 | 214 | 62 | 54 | 92 | 583 |
| Doors, windows, floors, ceilings, sash cords, grates and flues, etc., repaired | 30 | 47 | 140 | 23 | 46 | 26 | 312 |
| Verminous dwellings disinfested | 2 | 4 | 26 | 27 | 5 | 2 | 66 |
| Verminous furniture and bedding disinfested | 37 | 59 | 40 | 34 | 7 | 19 | 196 |
| Overcrowding abated | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Underground rooms (illegal occupation) dealt with | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Water closet defects remedied | 11 | 25 | 48 | 59 | 55 | 19 | 217 |
| Insufficient and unsuitable water closet accommodation remedied | 1 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 45 |
| Urinal defects remedied | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 |
| Drain and water closet stoppages cleared | 2 | 6 | 12 | 17 | 16 | 1 | 54 |
| Drains relaid or amended | — | 15 | 23 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 52 |
| Soilpipes and ventilating shafts repaired or renewed | — | — | 4 | 11 | 6 | — | 21 |
| Waste pipe defects remedied | 4 | 7 | 8 | 17 | 11 | 12 | 59 |
| Yard defects remedied | — | - | 1 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 17 |
| Wash-house defects remedied | 3 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 1 | — | 27 |
| Area defects remedie | 1 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 1 | — | 21 |
| Basement defects remedied | — | — | — | — | — | - | — |
| Roofs and gutters repaired | 24 | 72 | 126 | 67 | 37 | 35 | 361 |
| Water supply to houses reinstated | — | 2 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 6 |
| Water supply laid on to upper storeys | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | 10 |
| Water cistern defects remedied | — | — | 3 | 8 | 1 | — | 12 |
| Dung or dust receptacles repaired or renewed | 9 | 6 | 25 | 14 | 18 | 9 | 81 |
| Rubbish, manure, etc., accumulations removed | — | 7 | 18 | 19 | 33 | 12 | 89 |
| Animal nuisances abated | — | — | 1 | — | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| Rat and mouse infestations dealt with | 25 | 18 | 55 | 182 | 91 | 175 | 556 |
| Bakehouses cleansed | — | 2 | — | 4 | — | — | 6 |
| Smoke nuisances abated | — | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| Shops—sanitary defects remedied | 1 | — | — | 4 | — | 1 | 6 |
| Miscellaneous | 4 | 5 | 36 | 49 | 16 | 3 | 113 |
SECTION D.—HOUSING.
Re-organisation of Housing Department.—The Council decided to co-ordinate their housing activities into a single
department under the control of a Housing Director and steps to implement this decision are being taken.
Permanent Schemes.—The erection of blocks of flats on the undermentioned sites was commenced during the year :—
Site No. of flats Approximate cost
Barrow Hill Road 172 £328,500
Church Street 140 £306,360
312 £634,860
A maternity and child welfare centre will be provided on the Barrow Hill Road Estate the Church Street Estate
will include 11 shops. Both estates will have communal laundry facilities and central hot water.
An Order was made by the Council on the 31st December, 1946, for the compulsory purchase of the Townshend
Cottages site with a view to the erection thereon of further permanent flats.
The Council have also planned for an extension of the Church Street site, and for the development for housing purposes
of a small site at the corner of St. John's Wood Road and Lisson Grove, adjacent to Wharncliffe Gardens. The development
of a number of other small vacant sites is under consideration.
Temporary Housing.—Seventy-four temporary factory-made bungalows have been erected on five sites in the
Borough, and let to applicants selected from the Council's waiting list.
Adaptation of Premises.—All empty properties have been surveyed and further premises have been requisitioned
and converted into residential units of suitable sizes. The number of such units held under requisition at the end of
1946 was 944. Requisitioning and adaptation works are proceeding as speedily as the limited resources of labour and
materials permit.
" Squatters."—A total of approximately 250 persons took possession of twb blocks of flats in the Borough for varying
periods during September, 1946, and set up temporary homes there, in some cases taking in furfliture. These invasions
created serious problems for the Public Health Department, mainly from the point of view of sanitary arrangements
and water supply, and necessitated constant visits by the medical staff, sanitary inspectors and health visitors to safeguard
the public health. The "squatters" included a number of expectant mothers and young children and special
attention was devoted to their needs.