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
Penge 1925
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Penge]
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36
GENERAL HOUSING CONDITIONS AND OVERCROWDING
IN THE AREA.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6.7 | 8.9 | 10 and over | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Private Families | 366 | 794 | 1,066 | 1,255 | 995 | 1,220 | 521 | 284 |
| Population in Private Families | 629 | 2,046 | 3,784 | 4,782 | 4,414 | 5,613 | 2,360 | 1,471 |
| Rooms occupied | 366 | 1,588 | 3,197 | 5,020 | 4,975 | 7,725 | 4,327 | 3,151 |
| 1921. — Percentage of Families living in various units of occupation | 5.6 | 12.2 | 16.4 | 19.3 | 15.3 | 18.8 | 8.0 | 4.4 |
| 1911. — Percentage of Families living in various units of occupation | 4.0 | 6.8 | 12.5 | 12.9 | 15.6 | 23.0 | 13.4 | 11.8 |
It will be seen from these figures that 366 families
occupied one room, with a total population of 629 ; and 794
families, numbering 2,046 occupants, occupied two rooms
each. A great number of these families comprise only one or
two persons, whereas others range from three to six
persons.
The principal causes of overcrowding are increase of
population, little building of working class houses at a low
rental and inability of tenants to pay the present rents without
subletting.