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
Willesden 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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The following are the types and probable number of families which would fall to be dealt with as above
| Probable number. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total. | Per annum. | ||
| (1) | Families leaving clearance areas under the provisions of the Housing Act, 1930 | 266 | 176 (1½ years) |
| (2) | Families leaving overcrowded houses under the provisions of the Housing Act, 1935 | 360 | 103 (3½ years) |
| (3) | Families not included in (1) or (2) above about to enter Council Houses | Vide letter from Town Clerk (copy attached). | |
| (4) | Families in existing Council Houses | **2 | |
| Families housed in private ownership | 500 | ||
*The Engineer estimates that all the 266 houses will be ready by January, 1937.
**Information supplied by Engineer dated 4/7/35.
***See Appendix.
Secondd-Hand Furniture.— With regard to (1), (2) and (3) above, there should be a requirement
that second-hand furniture purchased for the new home should be disinfested. Generally I think
it desirable that disinfestation of second-hand furniture should be available on request for any of the
5 categories mentioned.
Rate of Disinfestation and Disinfection.— So far as (3), (4) and (5) above are concerned, no
question of urgency need arise, provided reasonable notice of the need for disinfestation is received,
but with regard to (1) and (2) above, i.e., tenants leaving clearance areas or overcrowded houses,
it is desirable that they should get into their new homes as quickly as possible. I understand from
the Engineer that the newly built houses will be delivered in blocks, beginning about April, 1936,
but he is unable at present to say how many houses will be in a block. Kensington is unable to deal
with more than two van loads in a day, presumably four families, and this, therefore, has to be regarded
as the maximum rate of transit from the old houses to the new and arrangements will be made on
this basis.
Estimated Costs.
| Total Cost. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | s. | d. | |
| Group (1) above—266 families at £3 5s. 6d. each This sum would be spent before January, 1937 (If years). | 871 | 3 | 0 |
| Group (2) above—360 families at £3 5s. 6d. each This sum would be spent between January, 1937, and July, 1940 (3f years). | 1,179 | 0 | 0 |
| Group (3) above—Problematical. | |||
| Group (4) above—Problematical | * | ||
| Group (5) above-—500 families per annum at £3 5s. 6d. each | 1,637 | 10 | 0* |
*The cost of disinfestation of families grouped under (4) and (5) will be, more or less, a recurring
expenditure, but some abatement of the numbers of families requiring disinfestation may be looked for,
in the case of group (4) by the more effectual methods to be employed and the anticipated
greater control over the habits of the tenants when re-housed by the Council,
in the case of group (5) by the more effectual methods to be employed together with the
decline in overcrowding which will be secured under the Housing Act, 1935, overcrowding
being a factor which facilitates infestation.
Arrangements for Tenants while Dispossessed of their Furniture and Houses.
Meals.— It will be observed that the maximum number of tenants who may be for a day
without furniture is represented by four families, say 20 persons. These 20 persons may receive
dinner at the nearest feeding centre to their new abode or their old abode, as may be convenient to
them. In the case of the South Kilburn Centre, permission for this would have to be obtained from
the Feeding Centre Authorities. At the present moment all Feeding Centres are full during the school
period and extra children who come to be fed have to go in with the second relay as at Gibbons Road
or have to wait until places are vacant as at South Kilburn, Furness Road, Strode Road and Lower
Place Feeding Centres. The school children in displaced families could, of course, be fed with the school
children in accordance with the above procedure but it would be desirable to have a set time for mothers