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11
Copy of an Official Representation made to the Metropolitan Board of
Works of the unsanitary condition of certain localities in this District.
In the Matter of the Artizans' and Labourers' Dwellings
Improvement Act, 1875.
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, and
which area is situated within the Parish of Whitechapel, and is comprised within the
following boundaries, viz.:—Wentworth-street on the North, Old Castle-street and New
Castle-street on the East, partly by High-street, Whitechapel, partly by the rear of houses
abutting upon High-street, Whitechapel on the South ; and by the rear of the houses abutting
upon Middlesex-street on the West; and is defined upon the plan which is annexed
hereto and distinguished by the colour Red thereon.
This area may be roughly estimated as containing 4 acres or thereabouts, and contains
about 314 houses; has a population of about 2757, and it comprises some courts and
alleys of the most wretched description, and includes the west side of New Castle-street,
part of the west side of Old Castle-street, the whole of Castle-alley, the south-side
of Wentworth-street, the whole of Goulston-street, Goulston-court, Three Tun-alley,
Marlborough-court, the larger portion of New Goulston-street, the whole of Love-court,
Little Love-court, Horse Shoe-place, Elizabeth-place, Swan-court, Little Middlesex-street,
Hebrew-place, and Boar's Head-yard.
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 most of the houses within the
area are unfit for human habitation. I further desire to represent, that the evils connected
with such houses, courts, and alleys, and the sanitary defects of such area cannot
be effectually remedied otherwise than by an Improvement Scheme for the re-arrangement
and re-construction of the courts 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, less than 8
square yards to each person.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
JOHN LIDDLE.
31st May, 1876.
15, Great Alie Street.