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132
HOME WORK
During the year 73 lists of out-workers were received from employers in the
Borough, 38 in the first and 35 in the second half-year. Those for the first half-year
are due in February, for the second in August. These lists contained the names
of 1,047 out-workers, of whom 796 were not residents in Shoreditch. The addresses
of those non-resident were forwarded to the sanitary authorities of the districts
to which they belonged.
The total number of out-workers reported was 2,203, and of these 1,398 were
resident in Shoreditch. These figures may be compared with the corresponding
figures of 1,957 and 1,297 for the year 1936.
As was pointed out in previous reports, in numerous instances names and
addresses of outworkers are duplicated owing to lists being sent in twice a year, and
in some cases the same outworkers are employed by more than one firm, so that the
numbers given above must not be taken as representing the actual numbers of
individual outworkers. The tables on pages 133 and 134 show the distribution of
outworkers as regards trades in the Borough.
During the year 892 visits of inspection were made to places where home-work
was being carried on, and in connection with these 138 sanitary notices were served.
The cases of notifiable infectious disease occurring at out-workers' premises numbered
22 and included 7 of scarlet fever, 12 of diphtheria and 3 of erysipelas. The usual
steps were taken in connection with these cases by the officers of the sanitary
authority.