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43
In 1938 North Street (now Northiam Street) Area, previously
"represented" in 1936, was taken over by the London County
Council for industrial purposes and in addition Daley Street Area,
containing 93 unfit houses, and Mead Place Area, containing 152
unfit houses, were ' 'represented'' informally to and taken over by
the London County Council.
During 1938 the Borough Council erected the following blocks
of flats:—
Nisbet House 311 flats
Shacklewell House 50 ,,
Morley House 120 ,,
On the 30th June, 1939, I forwarded to the London County
Council for investigation and observation 14 additional proposed
clearance schemes, comprising 1,200 houses, and at that time it
appeared that we had at last broken the back of the distressing
problem of the slums in Hackney. Detailed inspections of these
premises were in progress when war broke out and the Minister of
Health issued his Circular 1866 suspending all Housing Act operations
because of the necessity to conserve all possible housing
accommodation against the possibility of the need for rehousing
persons rendered homeless by air attack.
At the end of 1940 a total of 936 buildings had been demolished,
from which 4,473 persons had been rehoused, and at that time five
small areas, comprising 17 houses and 27 flats, still remained to
be cleared although the residents had been rehoused.
The cessation of new building, the extensive destruction of,
and damage to, dwelling accommodation, and the deterioration of
the properties which remained had totally disorganised our prewar
plans, and reviewing the position at the end of the war we saw
that the fulfilment of our hopes of seeing all persons decently housed
had been put back many years.
The problems resulting from the war were enormous, but
during the past two years increases in the inspectorial staff, combined
with an easing of the position with regard to building materials
and labour, has enabled the Council to recommence activities
under the Housing Act and in 1948 two further areas were "represented"—the
Westgate Street Area, comprising 27 flats, in
respect of which the Hackney Borough Council accepted undertakings
from the owners that the premises would not be relet for
human habitation after the Council had rehoused the tenants,
and Homerton Terrace Area, comprising 15 dwellings with which
the London County Council agreed to deal. Since the end of the
war the five areas which remained outstanding at the end of 1940
have been cleared, thus completing the first two five-year programmes
.