London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Barking 1961
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
This page requires JavaScript
Section C - FOOD SUPPLIES
Food Premises
The following is a list of the various premises in the Borough used for the sale of food:-
| Bakehouses | 3 |
| Bread and Cake Shops | 22 |
| Butchers Shops | 42 |
| Confectionery Shops | 76 |
| Factory Canteens | 53 |
| Fishmongers and Fish Fryers | 20 |
| Fruiterers and Greengrocers | 37 |
| Grocery Shops | 88 |
| Ice Cream Manufacturers | 2 |
| Ice Cream Vendors | 170 |
| Milk Shops | 47 |
| Public Houses and Off-Licensed Premises | 32 |
| Public House Restaurants | 10 |
| Restaurants | 47 |
| Shops in markets | 47 |
| School Meal Centres and Kitchens | 41 |
| Street Traders | 15 |
| Mobile Traders | 23 |
| Chemists | 20 |
| Warehouses and Factories | 20 |
Table No.6
Inspection of Food Premises
During the year the following inspections were made and notices served:-
| Number of visits made to these premises | 3,291 |
| Number of defective or dirty walls, ceilings and floors | 77 |
| Number of notices to repair or provide hot water fittings | 9 |
| Number of notices to repair counters, tables & cupboards | 17 |
| Number of notices to repair drains and yard paving | 18 |
| Number of notices to provide sinks and wash-hand basins | 11 |
| Number of notices to repair or renew defective sanitary fitments | 6 |
| Number of notices to provide soap, nail brushes and towels | 9 |
| Number of notices to stop and prevent smoking | 2 |
On occasions the inspecting officers gave verbal notices to remedy minor
defects where it was not considered necessary to serve written notices.
Complaints of Unfit Food
It will be noted that the majority of the complaints concerning food in Table
10 arose from the presence of foreign matter in the food. The present trend is
towards more mechanical handling and processing of food which, unless carefully
Page 36