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every year at the cost of the public, and that in many if not
the majority of these cases the corpse remains in the single room
occupied by the living members of the family; there can be
no doubt that great use ought to be made of it, and if a
suitable building were erected on a convenient site, I cannot think
it would remain unused. The law might reasonably, upon Sanitary
grounds, require the removal of the dead to a mortuary, when
the living would otherwise, occupy the same room with the corpse;
and especially in a country like this, where the custom is to keep
the dead unburied for many days. Several Metropolitan parishes
are now provided with mortuaries, and the number is on the
increase. Kensington, I trust, will not be last in this matter. A
difficulty has been raised about a site; but I venture to believe
that if the erection of a mortuary were resolved upon, the site
would be forthcoming. I have always urged that one site would
suffice for both mortuary and disinfecting chamber—a plan that
would be economical in management. A room for holding inquests
and accommodation for post mortem examinations should be added.
A considerable outlay would be required, but one that this rich
and populous parish could well bear. Were the Mortuary alone in
question it might be placed in the disused parish Churchyard,
which could not be turned into any use more beneficial to the
living or more reverent to the dead. There are two Cemeteries in the
parish—at Brompton and Kensal Green—where possibly accommodation
might be obtained but that the parish possesses a
Cemetery of its own at Hanwell where the poor are interred.
Let us hope that the difficulties may be overcome, and Mortuary
and Disinfecting chamber provided, before the Law steps in
and makes them compulsory !
JENNINGS' BUILDINGS.
In my last Annual Report I had the satisfaction of stating that
the populous locality known by the name of Jennings' Buildings
was in course of demolition. The work has been completed, and
the place is now a thing of the past.
It may not be uninteresting to state that this cul de sac, which
comprised five divisions known as Tavern Yard, New Court, Palace
Place, Cooper's Gardens, and Jennings' Buildings proper, contained
a population at the census, 1871, of 876 souls inhabiting
83 houses, many of them sadly defective in construction, dilapidated,
and otherwise inconvenient and overcrowded. A dood deal
of consideration was shown to the inhabitants by the purchaser,
pecuniary compensation being given to every tenant, besides the
privilege of removing "firewood" from their doomed dwellings,
which, under this grant, were very soon gutted—I might say
wrecked. Had not a stop been put to the proceedings, Jennings'