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
Barking 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
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18
The population of Barking is almost entirely industrial. Barking is becoming
a dormitory.
(b) Unemployment.—The following table is compiled from information kindly
supplied by the Manager of the Ministry of Labour Employment Exchange,
Barking :—
Copy of comparative statement of local unemployed by industries, as at December, 1934 and December, 1935 :—
| Men. | Women. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. | Dec. | Dec. | Dec. | |
| 1934 | 1935 | 1934 | 1985 | |
| Building | 305 | 226 | _ | _ |
| Constructional Work | 151 | 69 | — | — |
| General Engineering | 39 | 19 | 3 | 3 |
| Electrical Engineering | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| Motor Engineering | 22 | 21 | 3 | 1 |
| Cabinet Making | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Electrical Apparatus | 39 | 54 | 28 | 42 |
| Hotel Service | 30 | 20 | 33 | 41 |
| Commercial | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Road Transport | 31 | 23 | — | — |
| Dock Workers | 171 | 84 | — | — |
| Paper Making | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Printing | 20 | 18 | 6 | 6 |
| Tailoring | 12 | 8 | 16 | 11 |
| Dressmaking and Millinery | 4 | 6 | 9 | 14 |
| Hat and Cap Manufacture | 3 | 3 | 10 | 5 |
| Blouse and Underclothing Manufacture | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Boots and Shoes | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Distributive | 149 | 107 | 21 | 38 |
| Miscellaneous (including unskilled) | 1,076 | 896 | 219 | 133 |
| Stationery and Cardboard Box Manufacture ... | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 2,075 | 1,566 | 363 | 301 | |
Members of the Council will want to know if there is any evidence, statistical
or otherwise, that unemployment has exercised any significant influence on the health
or physique of children or adults.
It is my duty to report there is no statistical evidence available. My personal
opinion is that the level of nutrition is higher than it has been for many years, but
this does not mean to say I am satisfied with the present situation.
Personally, I believe that a very good index of nutrition is the number of
cases of external eye disease found among the child population. Such statistical
evidence as we have, and this is shown in my Annual Reports as your School
Medical Officer, would appear to indicate that there is no ground for alarm. At
the same time, as I have shown elsewhere, we know that the children of English
parentage, born under favourable circumstances in the Colonies, do develop in a
way which is uncommon in England, showing that the conditions under which
children are reared in the home country can be improved upon.