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
Shoreditch 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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on production of a certificate from one of the assistant medical officers. Liability is
determined by the milk scale. In October, 1932, a scheme was commenced under which
selected children under five years of age who were eligible on financial grounds to
receive milk allowances should, as an alternative, be allowed dinners. In May, 1937,
toddlers' dinners were commenced at 31, Herbert Street. The number of mothers and
toddlers who attended during 1937 and the preceding five years is shown in Table
No. 87.
Table No. 87
| Model Welfare Centre. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932. | 1933. | 1934. | 1935. | 1936. | 1937. | |
| Number of individual mothers attending | 234 | 229 | 169 | 149 | 132 | 105 |
| Total attendances | 14,130 | 13,635 | 10,312 | 7,102 | 6,939 | 6,451 |
| Number of individual toddlers attending | 44 | 139 | 116 | 121 | 109 | 92 |
| Total attendances | 848 | 5,443 | 5,978 | 6,596 | 6,753 | 6,472 |
| 31, Herbert Street. | ||||||
| 1932. | 1933. | 1934. | 1935. | 1936. | 1937. | |
| Number of individual mothers attending | 201 | 194 | 149 | 127 | 95 | 79 |
| Total attendances | 13,659 | 12,017 | 10,406 | 8,400 | 6,355 | 4,711 |
| Number of individual toddlers attending | 27 | |||||
| Total attendances | — | — | — | — | — | 1,792 |
MILK ALLOWANCES
Particulars regarding the scale of income and the quantities of milk allowed
under this scheme were given in the Annual Report for 1933.
The number of individuals in receipt of milk or dinner allowances was 780 at
the beginning of the year; it rose to 799 in May, but fell to 723 in August, and, by
the end of the year, it had again risen to 826.
SEWING CLASSES
Two classes are held each week—one at the Model Welfare Centre on Thursday
afternoon and one at the School for Mothers on Monday afternoon. These classes
fulfil a most useful purpose, as many young girls in Shoreditch work in factories
when they leave school and are ignorant of needlecraft when they marry.
The attendances at the sewing classes during the last ten years were as follows:—