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
Finchley 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Finchley]
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52
more than one family, which appears to show that the rents
are beyond the reach of many, but it cannot be said that the
housing of the very poor is an acute problem in Finchley, as
with the exception of certain areas, the very poor do not seem
to make their way here.
The following table shews the number of houses passed since 1894, which has been supplied to me by the Surveyor:—
| 1894 | 47 | 1902 | 323 |
| 1895 | 60 | 1903 | 340 |
| 1896 | 101 | 1904 | 338 |
| 1897 | 123 | 1906 | 361 |
| 1898 | 142 | 1906 | 374 |
| 1899 | 189 | 1907 | 436 |
| 1900 | 213 | 1908 | 411 |
| 1901 | 289 | 1909 | 336 |
Drainage and Sewage Disposal.
A dual system of drainage is in force in most parts of
the district, the surface water sewers discharging into the
natural water-courses.
The present general sewerage scheme was commenced in
1885. Previous to this a considerable portion of the sewage
appears to have passed directly into the streams, though most
of the Church End sewage was chemically treated in tanks
before being allowed to enter Dollis Brook. A large amount
of the North End sewage was at the time being treated by
irrigation on a farm lying west of Nether Street, and another
portion was being treated both chemically and by filtration
through coke on a piece of land at the lower end of Stanhope
Road, but apparently without much success.