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

Bromley 1935

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bromley]

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Table: A further interesting comparison is shown by tiie following figures which explain themselves and which include extracted figures from the housing survey made in January, 1936.

A further interesting comparison is shown by tiie following figures which explain themselves and which include extracted figures from the housing survey made in January, 1936.

1921 Census.1931 Census.1936 Housing Survey.
Families living in one room293304471
Families per dwelling1.141.111.08
Average size of family4.043.703.61
Average persons per room0.760.720.65
Average rooms per house6.085.705.5

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In recent years Parliament has given much attention
to the housing question, and the passing of the Housing
Act, 1935, placed upon local authorities increased
responsibilities and consequent increased activity in this
fundamental service for the welfare of the people. This
Act improved the provision relating to the abatement and
prevention of overcrowding, for the re-conditioning of
working-class houses and generally consolidated the
enactments relating to housing questions. The result in
Bromley, even in these early years of the Acts, has been
an improvement in the living conditions of the people,
although one still notes the lack of provision of baths in
many of the houses erected before the establishment of
modern bye-laws..
Overcrowding.
Under Section I. of the Housing Act, 1935, it became
the duty of this Local Authority to make an inspection
of the district, and to submit before the 1st June, 1936,
a report on the state of over-crowding and at a later date,
to submit proposals for the abatement of overcrowding..

Table: The standard of overcrowding laid down in the Act is as follows:—

The standard of overcrowding laid down in the Act is as follows:—

Rooms.Persons.
12
23
35
47½
5 or more10 with an additional 2 in respect of each room in excess of 5.