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 Dagenham]
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39
The results showed that of the 22,304 houses in the
district 1,015 or 4.55 per cent. were overcrowded
according to the standard laid down in the Act.
In a very large number of the houses concerned,
it was found that a considerable degree of " uncrowding"
existed. In theory the redistribution of the population
would enable almost the entire population to live in a
house which would not be overcrowded, but it would be
manifestly unfair and undesirable to compel householders
to remove, especially when they had established
comfortable homes and developed their gardens in
accordance with their tastes.
A fuller account of the action taken under this
Act will be submitted in the Annual Report for 1936.
It will be noted that overcrowding does not
constitute an offence until after the appointed day
which has not yet been fixed by the Ministry. Even
then it will not be an offence until suitable alternative
accommodation has been offered; the nature of this
accommodation is defined in the Act.