London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Stepney 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stepney]
This page requires JavaScript
The usual annual census of persons in Common Lodging Houses was taken on the night of Friday the 11th February and the following information ascertained:—
| Licensed Number of beds. | Beds occupied. | Number known to be in receipt of public assistance. | Number of beds paid for by charitable organisations | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | Women | Married Couples | Men | Women | Children | Married Couples | Men | Women | Children | Men | Women | Children |
| 2047 | 541 | 41 | 1306 | 360 | 13 | 29 | 60 | 32 | — | 40 | 31 | — |
In addition to the above, there are 10 Seamen's Lodging Houses. 108
inspections were made of them during the year, 6 notices were served for
minor nuisances.
Legal proceedings were instituted by the Council on 29th November for
keeping a common lodging house without being duly licensed. The premises
consisted of 6 bedrooms, 2 containing 5 beds in each, all being always occupied
by the same persons and 2 common rooms, one for meals and the other for
social purposes. The lodgers were all Indians, and it was stated that they
had lived there for 2 or 3 years. Defendant stated that they were all employees
kept by him for 4s. 6d. each per week, and produced rent books. The case
was adjourned until 15th December when it was held by the Magistrate that
the premises were not a common lodging house and he dismissed the summons
on payment of £5 5s. 0d. costs against the Council. This case was taken in
the nature of a test case.
There appears to be no definition of a common lodging house in the
Public Health (London) Act, 1936.