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
Richmond upon Thames 1970
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond upon Thames]
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who sold him the fuel that a briquette known as "Kentish Fire" was authorised for use
in smoke control areas. This was not true and the sale was stopped at the department's
request.
Ten residents complained that they could not get solid smokeless fuel and names
of other fuel suppliers were given in each case. None came back to the department
reporting failure.
The coming of warmer weather at the end of April saw the end of a potentially
critical situation during which, fortunately, no one was reported to be without means
of heating. The basic problem remained unsolved during the summer and by October
hard coke, which had been abundant during the previous winter, also became scarce.
It was during this period that suspension of Smoke Control Orders was first
voiced and the subsequent suspension by the Secretary of State for the Environment of
40% of the Smoke Control Orders in the London area, including this Borough, was at
the time considered by some to be an unfortunate reversal in the progress towards
cleaner air.
The Clean Air (Suspension of Smoke Control — Richmond upon Thames) Order, 1970 was made on the 9th December, 1970 and came into operation on the following day. It suspended until 31st March, 1971 the following orders :
| Smoke Control Order. | No. of Premises in Area. |
|---|---|
| The Barnes No. 1 Smoke Control Order, 1960 | 1815 |
| The Barnes No. 2 Smoke Control Order, 1961 | 1482 |
| The Barnes No. 3 Smoke Control Order, 1962 | 1673 |
| The Barnes No. 4 Smoke Control Order, 1963 | 187 |
| The Richmond (Surrey) No. 1 Smoke Control Order, 1959 | 341 |
| The Richmond (Surrey) No. 2 Smoke Control Order, 1960 | 1603 |
| The Richmond (Surrey) No. 3 Smoke Control Order, 1961 | 1989 |
| The Richmond (Surrey) No. 4 Smoke Control Order, 1962 | 1553 |
| The Richmond (Surrey) No. 5 Smoke Control Order, 1963 | 2558 |
| The Twickenham No. 1 Smoke Control Order, 1961 | 1918 |
| The Twickenham No. 2 Smoke Control Order, 1962 | 3815 |
| The Twickenham No. 3 Smoke Control Order, 1962 | 4640 |
| Total | 23574 |
The occurrence of this fuel crisis was most disappointing, and one would have
thought with all the forewarnings given that it should have been avoidable. The primary
cause was the shortage of gas coke, the effect being worsened by a failure to
produce adequate replacement fuels.
In the Borough domestic supplies of gas coke ceased in March and towards the
year's end commercial supplies had also been greatly reduced. The shortage arose from
the gas industry's policy of changing over from gas originating from coal to naturally
occurring gas. By 1975 it is anticipated that there will be no gas coke produced in this
country.
Two complaints arising out of the suspensions came from old age pensioners living
in areas still subject to operative Orders. They found the premium solid smokeless fuels
very expensive and because of this wished only to burn coal. Such persons cannot afford
the capital outlay of installing alternative gas or off-peak electric appliances yet it is
these older people together with infants who are in greatest need of warmth.
In discussing heating costs it is interesting to compare the figures in the following
table which are based on the appliance efficiencies and annual fuel consumptions set out
in the 1963 White Paper "Domestic Fuel Supplies and the Clean Air Policy".
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