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99
LEE FLOODINGS.
Floodings occurred during the first week of 1928, and on January 9th 1
presented the following report to the Public Health Committee, which describes
the action taken by the Public Health Department with the permission of the
Mayor and the Chairman of the Public Health Committee.
It should be remembered that the Borough Council have no authority as
regards the prevention of floodings, or even as regards sewage pollution, which
has been the subject of repeated complaints by the Borough Council. The last
flooding occurred in the year 1918.
To the Chairman and Members
of the Public Health Committee.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
“ The Committee are aware that floodings have occurred in the Borough
as a result of the rising of the River Lee, and I have prepared a statement
setting out briefly the action taken by this Department.
Considerable difficulty in obtaining provisions was experienced at first by
the tenants of some of the flooded houses, but this was met by Radley's Boat
House kindly supplying a punt and several boats at Middlesex Wharf, by the
use of a punt at High Hill Ferry, and by the Borough Engineer lending
wading boots for the use of the people at Spring Lane.
As it was reported that some of the children required food, on Thursday
morning, the 5th inst., I sent down two cases of Cow and Gate Dried Milk
under the charge of Mr. Haynes, clerk in the Public Health Department,
and an issue of dried milk was made to twelve families in the Middlesex
Wharf district, four families in Spring Lane, and one family at Essex
Cottages. The details of the circumstances relating to each case will be
placed in due course before the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee.
On Friday morning the water was low enough for the district Sanitary
Inspector, Mr. Crook, to direct workmen to the task of taking up the floor
boards, cleansing and disinfecting with Carbolic and Sanitas disinfectant
powder, as the sludge left behind was of an offensive nature and would
likely have caused inconvenience, if not illness.
Work on the flooring continued up till 7 p.m. on Friday, on Saturday
up till 7 p.m., and was finally finished, every flooded house having been dealt
with, at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Borough Engineer and Deputy, who had
been watching the progress of events from the outbreak of the flooding,
kindly visited with me on Saturday morning to see whether anything further
could be done as regards the premises we were dealing with.
As it was highly desirable, in view of the fact that 89 families were
housed in the 78 houses that had been flooded, that drying out should procee.d
as rapidly as possible, I obtained permission from the Chairman of the
Public Health Committee to distribute coal and wood; and five tons of coal
in half hundredweight and one hundredweight sacks was dumped at 123,
Middlesex Wharf, the distribution of this coal and wood being carried out
under the superintendence of Mr. Crook, the district Sanitary Inspector, and
Mr. Haynes, a clerk from the Public Health Department. Four tons, eight
hundredweights of coal was distributed by 6.30 on Saturday night, every
house receiving sufficient to assist in drying out.
In view of the fact that every flooded house required attention, with the
exception of those houses at Spring Lane where the ground flooring is of
impervious material, and it was necessary to push the work forward, some
additional help had to be hired, and it is obvious that very considerable strain
was placed upon the district Sanitary Inspector in view of the number of
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