Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
This page requires JavaScript
Continued from previous page...
Four-bedroom dwellings | 125 |
Five-bedroom dwellings | 20 |
Total tenancies—4,194 | |
Table III.—Total applications on Housing Register- | 3,544 |
Families seeking transfer to other accommodation | 855 |
The year has been one in which we have been marking time and endeavouring
to alleviate the worst conditions of over-crowding and unfitness until
progress is made with the large estate of 1,700 houses to be erected at the
Thames View Site.
It was unfortunate that circumstances arose which again prevented the
erection of a substantial number of houses for general purposes, special
purposes or slum clearance.
Slow progress continues to be made with rehousing from clearance
areas, due to the delay arising from a shortage of new accommodation. In
consequence rehousing can only be carried out on the cleared site.
For a considerable time the problem of the sub-standard house has been
under consideration nationally and the Central Housing Advisory Committee
appointed a special sub-committee to report.
Among other requirements this sub-committee reported that a satisfactory
house should be provided with an efficient and adequate means of
supplying hot water for domestic purposes and have a fixed bath, preferably
in a separate room.
The general standard of housing in Barking is above the national
average. There are 20,520 dwellings in the Borough. Of this number 12,400
were erected between the wars and a further 1,937 since the second world war.
This leaves a balance of some 6,000 houses erected before 1914. Of this
6.000 it is estimated 3,400 are without bathrooms.
Every house or flat has a w.c. inside the house in 15,000 of the total
dwellings. Every house also has a piped main water supply inside the main
building.
The Council is aware that no less than 550 dwellings are scheduled for
demolition as unfit when new accommodation can be provided for rehousing
Purposes. In addition to these unsatisfactory dwellings there is a total of 180
families living in camp hutments.
Such a situation cannot continue indefinitely and I am of the opinion
the Council should consider in what way improvements can be made to the
Standard houses in the Borough with a view to achieving such a standard
comfort as is expected by present-day occupiers.
Page 33