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Appendix VII to Report of Medical Officer of Health: 1859.
OVERCROWDED HOUSES.
CAUTION 10 OWNERS & OCCUPIERS OF HOUSES
WITHIN THE SAINT GILES'S DISTRICT.
The Board op Works for the above District, desire to direct the attention of Landlords
of Houses to the state of the Law with regard to Overcrowded Hodses, and to a recent decision
of the Magistrates thereon.
By the Nuisances Removal Act, (18 & 19 Vict, cap 121, s. 29,) it is provided, that
29. " Whenever the Medical Officer of Health, if there be one, or if none, whenever Two
qualified Medical Practitioners shall certify to the Local Authority that any House is so overcrowded
as to be dangerous or prejudicial to the Health of the Inhabitants, and the Inhabitants
shall consist of more than one family, the Local Authority shall cause proceedings to be taken
before the Justices to abate such overcrowding, and the Justices shall thereupon make such
order as they may think fit, and the person permitting such overcrowding shall forfeit a sum not
exceeding Forty Shillings."
It is held by the Magistrates that any House occupied by more than One Family, and not
being a Common Lodging liouse under the supervision of the Police, is overcrowded within the
meaning of this Act, if the cubic space available for each inmate fall short of Jour hundred eubic
feet.
The Board desire it to be well understood, and they hereby give Notice, that in all such
cases of overcrowding, they intend to take proceedings before the Magistrates without other
warning, in order to abate such overcrowding and to recover penalties.
Any information on this subject can be obtained by applying to the Surveyor, or the Sanitary
Inspector, between the hours of Nine and Ten, a.m., at the Office of the Board, Stone Yard,
199, Holborn.
By order of the Board,
i 1th day of January, 1859. ROBERT FINNIS, Clerk.
Note,—As an illustration of the space required, it may be observed that a room 16 feet
long, by 15 feet wide, by 10 feet high (16 X 15 X 10 gives 2400 cubic feet) cannot lawfully be
occupied by more than Six persons ; and that a Room 15 feet long by 10 feet wide by 8 feet
high (15 X 10 X 8 gives 1200 cubic feet) cannot lawfully be occupied by more than Three persons.
Two Children, under the age of 12, are allowed to count as one person.