View report page

54
passing of the Factory and Workshops Act, 1901, possessed
by local authorities governing factories and workshops; (2)
The practice of converting ordinary private dwelling houses
into workshops, irrespective of their adaptability or suitability
for the work in question. Workshops of the above
description have, fortunately, for some years past, been
steadily on the decrease, giving place to the modern and upto-date
factory or workshop premises. In these latter,
provision is made for adequate lighting, ventilation, and
cubic space, together with suitable and sufficient sanitary
and lavatory accommodation, and the general surroundings
both for the comfort and convenience of the workers are in
every way considered.
In no branch of work are the improvements in the
working conditions of the workers more marked than in
those of laundries. Twenty-five years ago Willesden had
many insanitary laundries. In certain parts of the district
most of the private dwelling houses were converted into
laundries of this description. Houses consisting of from
two to four stories were used for laundry purposes, and in
nearly all instances, owing to the ordinary domestic washhouse
being too small to accommodate the number of women
at the wash tub, a portion of the back yard, between the
two houses, was covered in with rough boards and glass,
in order to afford more room. These temporary makeshifts,
at the best, afforded but poor accommodation for the
women, who were compelled to work in them. They were
usually dark, badly ventilated and evil smelling, and so
inadequately drained, that the workers were compelled to
stand on pieces of board, in order to keep their feet out
of the shallow pools of water on the surface.
The rooms used for ironing were generally overheated,
and so badly ventilated that often in the summer
time the women worked with a minimum of clothing, and