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Outworkers.
The last return of outworkers made by employers of labour in the Borough and
by other local authorities shows that this type of work has increased considerably.
There were 252 outworkers listed in the last return for 1954, compared with 504
this year. This increase is due mainly to the expansion of one firm in the Borough
which specialises in providing " work at home." The nature of the outwork is as
follows :—
Type of Work. Number of Workers.
Wearing Apparel 122
Lampshades 349
Stuffed Toys 17
Household Linen 14
Box Making 1
Making of Curtains and Furniture Hangings 1
Over 87 per cent. of these outworkers are employed by local firms, and the
remainder by firms throughout the country from such distant places as Yeovil and
Bradford.
Local industry also employs 128 outworkers who live outside the Borough.
The Council's woman sanitary inspector visits the homes of outworkers periodically
to ensure that the working conditions are satisfactory, 409 such inspections
being carried out during 1955.
Old People's Welfare.
During the year particular attention was again paid by the Borough Council
to the problems of the aged to help mitigate the unsatisfactory conditions in which
some of these elderly people are found to be living. The co-operation of voluntary
bodies interested in the welfare of old people is an important factor, and in order
to co-ordinate this work the Council are in close liaison with the General Practitioners,
the County Council, local hospitals and the Woolwich Council of Social Service, and
other voluntary bodies.
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