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APPENDIX.
"apathy of the inmates in association with, in many instances,
"most objectionable habits, lead to their permitting the dirt to
"accumulate on their floors and staircases, their drains and water"closets
to become obstructed from their mode of use, or rather
"of abuse, and the basements of the houses to become so filthy
"as to justify the assertion that they are scarcely fit, in some
"instances, for human habitation."* It is to be remembered,
moreover, that this influence has possibly been telling upon the
owners and occupiers in the represented Area for many years.
Moreover, not only has the district as a whole degenerated, but
the clearances in the Clare Market area, have acted prejudicially on
the remaining parts especially in the matter of overcrowding, as was
predicted by Mr. Charles Booth,† who states "that the clearances
"made are being and will be paid for by the further degradation of the
"district towards the Strand," and the patches of 'very poor'
"will tend to become the quarters of the lowest grade of occasional
"labourers, loafers." Hence the decline in the general condition of the
overcrowded houses. "They must then in their turn," he adds,
"be scheduled and pulled down."
In order to facilitate appreciation of the condition of the represented
Area and consideration of any schemes which may be formed for its
improvement, I have prepared information of a detailed and
statistical nature respecting areality, number of houses, population,
mortality rates, causes of deaths, comparative death rates, &c.
Before, however, proceeding to these details it may be desirable to
roughly describe the three sub-areas into which I have divided the
whole represented district.
Sub-area A. This is a rectangular area bounded as before
mentioned on the north by the houses in Kemble Street (not
included in the Representation); on the east by Stanhope Street,
on the west by Drury Lane and on the south by Blackmoor Street,
and includes within that limit, six courts in addition to Eversley
Buildings. Although amongst the 130 buildings contained therein
* Twenty-sixth Annual Report to the Board of Works for the Strand District,
1881-82; Appendix, p. 15.
† "Labour and Life of the People." Charles Booth. Vol. II., p. 296.