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
Carshalton 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Carshalton]
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4. Housing Act, 1936. Part IV (Overcrowding).
(a) (1) Number of dwelling houses overcrowded at the end of
the year 112
(2) Number of families dwelling therein 190
(3) Equivalent number of adults dwelling therein 766
(b) Number of new cases reported during the year 53
(c) (1) Number of cases of overcrowding relieved during the
year 64
(2) Number of persons concerned in such cases 433½
(d) Particulars of any cases in which dwelling houses have
again become overcrowded after the local authority
have taken steps for the abatement of overcrowding
–
Overcrowding
During the year 53 cases of overcrowding were found to exist and
64 cases were remedied leaving 112 dwellings with 766 equivalent
adults in occupation overcrowded at the year end.
The known position as to overcrowding at the beginning and end of the year was as follows:
| Ward | Dwellings overcrowded at 31.12.52 | Dwellings found overcrowded during 1953 | Dwellings de-crowded during 1953 | Dwellings remaining over crowded at 31.12.53 | Overcrowded cases remedied during 1953 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formal Action | Informal Action | Total | |||||
| St. Helier North | 36 | 14 | 20 | 30 | 9 | 11 | 20 |
| St. Helier South | 32 | 13 | 15 | 30 | 2 | 13 | 15 |
| St. Helier West | 22 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 |
| North-East | 12 | 3 | 5 | 10 | – | 5 | 5 |
| North-West | 7 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Central | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| South-West | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| South-East | 8 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| 123 | 53 | 64 | 112 | 22 | 42 | 64 | |
These figures represent the position in respect of overcrowding
only as it comes to the notice of the department in the course of routine
work. It does not purport to give the exact extent of overcrowding.
Only a comprehensive house-to-house survey could reveal that figure.
In 40 out of the 53 new cases of overcrowding families were sharing
accommodation with relatives.
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