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47
The official representation was considered by the London County Council and
agreed to, the Ministry of Health held a local enquiry at St. George's Town Hall,
on October 29th. The Inquiry lasted three days but the result is not yet known.
No communication has since been received from the Ministry of Health on the
matter.
(2) Back Church Lane Area.—The official representation was made on
August 6th, 1919.
This area is situated in St. George-in-the-East to the south of Commercial
Road. It is bounded on the west by Back Church Lane, on the east by Berner
Street, on the north by Boyd Street, and on the South by Ellen Street.
It includes all the houses in Everard Street, 70 to 82 in Berner Street,
2 to 52, Boyd Street, the houses on the north side of Ellen Street (Nos. 1 to 51).
The area consists of 112 houses with a population of 533.
The number of persons suffering from Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Erysipelas,
Small Pox and Spotted Fever was, in proportion, twice that for the whole of the
Borough of Stepney in 1916 and 1917, and eight times as much in 1918.
In 1799 this area had a few houses adjoining Back Church Lane. The
remaining houses were built in the early part of the 19th century.
The narrowness, closeness and bad arrangement of the streets and houses and
the bad condition of the houses with the sanitary defects connected therewith are
dangerous to health, and the most satisfactory method of dealing with the evils
connected with such houses is an improvement scheme for the re-arrangement and
reconstruction of the houses and streets therein.
The local Inquiry by the Minister of Health was held in October but the result
of that inquiry has not yet been communicated to the Council.
Overcrowding.
The tendency to overcrowding has increased since the war due to the short
supply of houses.
Houses which were intended for, and occupied by single families, have become
occupied by two or more families per house. Having regard to the dearth of houses
no action has been taken where the overcrowding has only been slight, such as
one child in excess of the proper number.
11,632 inspections were made for the purpose of detecting overcrowding, but
62 only were found to be overcrowded.
No Police Court proceedings were taken for the abatement of overcrowding.