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
Woolwich 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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The following table gives details of the number of animals slaughtered and
inspected during the last twenty years at the Rochdale Road Abattoir, Abbey Wood,
from 1932 to 1937 and, after 1937, at the Garland Road Abattoir, Plumstead.
| Year. | Cattle (including Cows). | Cows. | Calves. | Sheep and Lambs. | Pigs. | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | 2,304 | — | 426 | 18,986 | 14,597 | 36,313 |
| 1933 | 2,386 | — | 213 | 21,128 | 14,072 | 37,799 |
| 1934 | 2,595 | — | 105 | 19,146 | 14,903 | 36,749 |
| 1935 | 3,145 | — | 672 | 18,939 | 15,607 | 38,363 |
| 1936 | 3,331 | — | 767 | 19,112 | 16,503 | 39,713 |
| 1937 | 3,244 | — | 604 | 15,069 | 15,466 | 34,383 |
| 1938 | 3,015 | — | 307 | 22,481 | 16,901 | 42,704 |
| 1939 | 4,922 | — | 70 | 25,099 | 19,253 | 49,344 |
| 1940 | 2,018 | — | — | 44,001 | 43,490 | 89,509 |
| 1941 | 253 | — | — | 41,986 | 18,745 | 60,984 |
| 1942 | Abattoir | closed. | ||||
| 1943 | ||||||
| 1944 | ||||||
| 1945 | ||||||
| 1946 | ||||||
| 1947 | 8,576 | — | 1,215 | 16,010 | 217 | 26,018 |
| 1948 | (excluding Cows) 10,639 | 3,678 | 3,257 | 17,985 | 256 | 35,815 |
| 1949 | 10,164 | 3,933 | 2,563 | 27,352 | 1,971 | 45,983 |
| 1950 | 12,638 | 4,453 | 3,103 | 27,359 | 2,392 | 49,945 |
| 1951 | 19,024 | 2,973 | 1,901 | 19,200 | 15,612 | 58,710 |
| 1952 | 12,471 | 1,413 | 2,410 | 22,680 | 51,028 | 90,002 |
Changes in lay-out, equipment and staffing, which have taken place recently
and since the Ministry of Food took over the Abattoir, are facilitating quicker
and smoother working from the slaughterer's point of view rather than from the
Inspector's point of view. The main changes are:—
(1) The electric hoists for lifting the animals to the bleeding rail after
stunning have been speeded up and two new dropping points have
been fixed so that the animals after bleeding can be instantly dropped
to the floor.
(2) A completely new method of sheep dressing is now in operation.
It is a continuous rail operation with the carcase always hanging
clear of the floor during the whole process of dressing.
(3) Two teams of slaughtermen are now continuously working, and the
slaughterhouse is large enough for cattle and sheep, or pigs or calves
to be slaughtered at the same time.
Other improvements have been made to obtain a more hygienically finished
carcase, and it is considered that the standard of hygiene of the carcases leaving
the Abattoir compares very favourably with that at any other abattoir. Nevertheless,
the accommodation at the premises is now being used at full capacity.
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