London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hackney 1901

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]

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70
found, for the simple reason that these people have a great struggle
to obtain the necessaries of life ; and the claims of healthy and decent
accommodation will give way to the more pressing needs of providing
food, clothing, and to other exigencies. So while we do not expect
any close correspondence in point of numbers between the classes A,
B, C, D of Mr. Booth and the table of the Registrar General, we feel
we are travelling as it were over the same ground, and dealing to a
large extent with the same individuals while considering the two
tables.
The Registrar General's table shows 9,266 persons living in 4,715
one.roomed tenements, 21,936 persons in 6,722 two.roomed tenements,
32,700 persons in 8,072 three.roomed tenements, and 32,582
persons in 6,501 four.roomed tenements ; the total number of persons
housed in the four classes of tenements being 96,484. Mr. Booth's
table shows a total of 43,257 persons in his classes A, B, C, D but in
considering the struggles these latter have for existence, it is more
than probable that we shall find them as residents of one, two, and
three.roomed tenements, and these overcrowded.
On the standard earlier adopted, i.e., a maximum of two persons
per room, I find amongst the Registrar General's four classes of tenements
4,098 with a population of 23,945 persons living in the proportion
of more than two persons in each room ; and it is almost
certain that these are almost wholly to be found in the class A, B, C,
D, of Mr. Booth. This assumption is supported by a consideration
of circumstances of typical cases of each class given by this writer.
The above comparison has been of service, for it has enabled us to
see more definitely the class of individuals amongst whom overcrowding
is to be found, and to some extent its causes. "With this
knowledge it will be less difficult to find a remedy.
PRESENT COST OF HOUSING ACCOMMODATION.
The proportion of one's income which should be devoted to rent
has hitherto been estimated at about one.tenth of the income. This,
of course, is only a round figure, and is frequently deviated from in