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47
"I submit these facts to you before advising the Council to
proceed with the construction of the proposed shelter, as I wish it
to be made quite clear that your Vestry would not offer on sanitary
grounds any objection to the continuance of the bathing. Should
it think proper to do so, I probably should advise the Council to
remove the dams and to take no steps whatever with regard to
bathing in the river, leaving matters as they are now."
This letter was duly considered by the Sanitary Committee,
who made a visit to the proposed site of the bathing pool, and
finally instructed me to communicate with the Parks Committee
in the terms of the following letter.
Town Hall, Hackney, N.E.
13th May, 1896.
HACKNEY MARSH.
Dear Sib,—I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 22nd
ultimo upon the subject of the bathing place in the River Lee adjoining the
Council's land, which was laid before the Sanitary Committee at their
meeting held on Thursday last, and in reply, I am requested to inform you
that the Committee have inspected the bathing pool and had a sample of the
water analysed, and from the analysis, copy of which is enclosed, it appears
that the water is highly polluted; and having fully considered these facts
together with the statement in your first communication that " the only
times when Lee water will be admitted are in flood times, and if necessary
occasionally at high tides," they are of opinion it would be dangerous for
bathing to take place in such water and are not prepared to give their
approval to the scheme.
Provided however that if your Committee were to devise some method of
keeping the Lee water out of the pool, except such as has been purified by
sub-soil percolation or lay on a pure supply, the Sanitary Committee would
withdraw all opposition to the use of the pool for bathing purposes.
I am, Dear Sir,
Yours faithfully,
J. KING WARRY, M.D.
Medical Officer of Health.
The Chief Officer,
Parks Department,
London County Council,
Spring Gardens, S.W.