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11
slaughter-houses slaughtering is carried on nearly the whole day, and in
some cases at night; the slaughter-house being let to any person who is
willing to pay for the use of it. Such a practice ought unquestionably to
be prohibited.
Aetizans' and Labourers' Dwellings Improvement Act, 1875.
The following official representation was made by me to the Metropolitan
Board of Works, of the unsanitary condition of certain localities in
this District.
To the Metropolitan Board of Works, the Local Authority as respects the
Metropolis, appointed by the said Act.
Gentlemen,
I the undersigned John Liddle, the Medical Officer of Health of the
District of Whitechapel, within the Metropolis, desire to make to your Board an
official representation of the unhealthiness of a certain area within your jurisdiction
as such local authority appointed by the said Act, and which area is situated partly
within the Parish of Whitechapel, and partly within the Parish of Aldgate, both
within the Whitechapel District, and extending from Dock-street, Whitechapel, on
the east, to Peter's-court on the west; being bounded on the north by Royal Mintstreet,
and on the south by the portion of Upper East Smithfield extending from
Cock-alley, and thence eastward to the boundary of the Pariah of Aldgate, and
following the boundary of that Parish northward to its junction with the southern
boundary of the Parish of Whitechapel, and thence eastward along the line of the
boundary of the last-mentioned Parish to Dock-street.
This area may be roughly estimated as containing six acres or thereabouts, and
has a population of about 3750, and it comprises some courts and alleys of the most
wretched description, and includes the following streets, &c. Hogg-yard, Shorter'srents,
Vincent-place, Glasshouse-buildings, Glasshouse-street, Hayes-court, Cherubimcourt,
Providence-court, New Martin-street, Crown-court, Whitechapel, Garden-court,
Compasses-court, Blue-anchor-yard, Russell-court, Hairbrain-court, Parson's-court,
Holloway-court, Slater's-court, Rose-court, Cooper's-court, Kettleby-court, Bracey'sbuildings,
Brown-bear-alley, Butler's-buildings, Hurn's-buildings, Farthing-alley,
Cock-alley, Cartwright-square, Crown-court, Aldgate, Cartwright-street, Walton'scourt,
Providence-place, Providence-row, Turner-street, Darby-street, Christophercourt,
Crawford's-court, Alma-place, Wells-yard, Little Peter's-court, and Peter's
Court.
I desire to represent to your Board, that by reason of the closeness, narrowness,
and bad arrangement, as well as by reason of the bad condition of the courts and
houses within such area, diseases indicating a generally low condition of health
amongst the population have been from time to time prevalent ; and the death-rate of
such population has been excessive, such excess being more than 50 per cent, above
the ordinary rate of the District of Whitechapel, of which it forms a part.
I further desire to represent that the evils connected with such houses, courts, and
alleys, and the sanitary defects in such area cannot be effectually remedied otherwise
than by an improvement scheme for the re-arrangement and re-construction of the
streets and houses within such area, or some of such streets and houses.
The density of this entire area is such as to afford upon an average 8.2 square
yards to each person ; but in Crown-court, a court connecting Blue-anchor-yard with
Glasshouse-street, there is only a space of 3.4 square yards to each person. The
average number of persons to a house in the entire area is 8.3.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
11th July, 1875, JOHN LIDDLE.
15, Great Alie Street,
Whitechapel