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100
Harrison's Court is entered through an archway under No. 3, Pope's Head
Court, and contained four two-roomed cottages which abutted on the houses in Union
Place. The courtway was very narrow, and the house had each a small space in
the rear except No. 4, which had a small yard at the side. This house, which was
unoccupied at the time of visiting, had no through ventilation, and was in an
extremely dirty condition. The four cottages were within a few feet of the rear of
the houses in Quaker Street, and obstructed light and ventilation.
New Square is a large open space entered by a covered passage under 27 and
29, Quaker Street. There were four small two-roomed cottages which had no back
yards, part of the open square being railed off to form front gardens. There was no
through ventilation to the ground floor rooms. The upper rooms were provided with
one window each in the rear, and which was boarded up. In No. 1 the walls were
damp and dirty, and the light was obstructed by an adjoining building. The
drainage was defective, and choked, Sewage was oozing through the joints of the
paving.
Pool's Square is situated in the rear of No. 37, Quaker Street. There were
eight houses, three having no back yards. No. 1 was an old detached house, partly
timber built, the brickwork was badly bulged, and there was no ventilation beneath
the ground floors. On the ground floor the inner room was used as a bedroom,
it bad no fireplace or means of external ventilation. No. 2, a house of four floors, was
very old and decayed, one wall was bulged, and dampness was noticeable. The
sashes, frames, and woodwork generally were defective. Nos. 7 and 8 had no ventilation
beneath the ground floors, and the light and air were obstructed in the rear
by the close proximity of a high building. The paving of the forecourts was very
defective. One w.c. in the Square was choked. There was one case of overcrowding.
It will be seen from the foregoing report that while certain of the defects referred
to admitted readily of abatement, yet in a large proportion of the area the
decayed condition of the structures or the obstruction to light and air consequent
upon the crowding of a number of cottages into small confined courts and alleys,
rendered it impossible to effect any permanent improvement, unless the demolition
and re-arrangement of such courts were undertaken.
The representation was considered by the Housing of the Working Classes
Committee on February 4th. The Committee decided to send a deputation to interview
the Housing of the Working Classes Committee of the London County Council,
to ask the Committee to take up the scheme under Part I. of the Act. The Committee
of the County Council desired us to procure closing orders against as many
of the houses as possible.
The necessary steps were taken, and Nos. 24½, 25, 26, 28, and 28½, Great Pearl
Street; Nos. 2, 3, and 4, Wilk Court; No. 1, Half Wilk Court; Nos. 9a and 10a,