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Fathercraft.—Last year it was decided to afford facilities for the holding of classes in fathercraft at
the Lisson Grove Welfare Centre under the direction of a lecturer to be provided by the London
County Council. The County Council subsequently decided to inaugurate a pioneer course of 12
lectures in parentcraft for married men and women and those of both sexes contemplating marriage.
This course, the fee for which was one shilling, was held from April to July, 1947, at the Stanhope
Institute, Stanhope Street, Euston Road, N.W.I, within easy reach of the Borough, and the syllabus
covered home life and the family; pregnancy; confinement; feeding of infants; feeding the family;
care of children; home management; and care and repair of household equipment (practical
demonstrations).
Care of Old People.—In view of the growing need of some special local voluntary organisation to undertake
the welfare of old people and to co-ordinate as far as possible all existing activities on their behalf,
the Public Health Committee decided in March, 1947, that a meeting of representatives of various
voluntary associations, religious bodies, statutory authorities and other organisations and individuals
concerned in any way with the care of old people, should be convened to discuss the desirability of
establishing a voluntary association in the Borough. A well attended inaugural meeting, presided
over by the Mayor (Alderman C. S. Steel, F.C.A., J.P.), was held at the Town Hall on the 19th May,
1947, when it was resolved that a St. Marylebone Old People's Welfare Association be set up on the
lines of the model constitution laid down by the National Old People's Welfare Committee. Membership
was extended to some 40 local bodies, and the Mayor was elected President of the new Association,
supported by Councillor Mrs. L. H. Fewster as Chairman of the Association and of its Executive
Committee, which subsequently met monthly and initiated a variety of schemes for the benefit of
old people, including the formation of a panel of visitors, a mobile meals service (in association with the
Women's Voluntary Services) distribution of food parcels from Australia, and arranging of concerts,
Christmas parties and other social outings. At the end of the year the Committee were about to
launch out in other directions and to set up further sub-committees to deal with the urgent need of
hostel accommodation and the provision of clubs additional to the "Darby and Joan" clubs run by
the Women's Voluntary Services.
Day Nurseries.—Four day nurseries (whole-time), all recognised as training centres, continued to
function throughout the year. Owing to the falling off in attendances on Saturday mornings and to
effect economies in staffing, electricity, food, etc., it was decided in August that each of the Council's
three nurseries should be open in turn on Saturday morning, the other two being closed.
Miss Mary Bowles, Matron of the Salisbury Street Day Nursery since its opening in 1942, was
appointed by the London County Council as a lecturer at the North Western Polytechnic, Kentish
Town, in connection with the syllabus for the Nursery Nurses Certificate examination.
Two displays of educational films dealing with the care of children were given to the staff and
mothers at the Carlton Hill Nursery during February, 1947.
SECTION C.—SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES.
Sanitary Inspection.—Complaints were received in respect of 2,819 premises. Details of the various
nuisances detected and remedied, to the total number of 5,010, are set out in Table 5. In 1,589 cases
a preliminary (intimation) notice was issued, and in 247 instances this was followed by the service of a
statutory notice to secure abatement of nuisances. Legal proceedings were instituted in 27 cases
under the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, in respect of failure to comply with statutory notices.
In five of these cases penalties amounting to £13 were imposed, and in 19 instances costs amounting