London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hackney 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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56
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD
AND FOOD PREMISES
Food and Drugs Acts 1938-1950
Throughout the year much of the time of the sanitary inspectors was
devoted to the inspection of food and all types of food premises with a view
to ensuring that the provisions of the various Acts, Regulations and Orders
were complied with. Two inspectors were employed whole time on special duties
connected with food, but all district inspectors were responsible for a number
of matters relating to food legislation in their own districts.
The London County Council By-laws for the Protection of Pood, made under
Section 15 of the Pood and Drugs Act, 1938, repealed those made by the County
Council under Section 6 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act,
1932, and came into operation on the 3rd November, 1952; a copy of these Bylaws
was sent to every food trader in the Borough.
I am pleased to again report that persons engaged in the food trades on
the whole co-operated satisfactorily with the officers of the department in
securing a higher standard of handling of food.
Records held in the department relate to 1573 premises in the borough where the following 2296 food trades are carried on:-
| Bakehouses | 36 |
| Bakehouses (basement) | 14 |
| Bakers (sales only) | 30 |
| Butchers | 132 |
| Confectioners | 385 |
| Fish curers | 22 |
| Fishmongers (wet) | 40 |
| Fish fryers | 26 |
| Fishmongers (wet and fried) | 4 |
| Greengrocers | 135 |
| Grocery and Provisions | 391 |
| Ice Cream manufacturers | 20 |
| Ice Cream retailers | 331 |
| Jellied eel and pie vendors | 5 |
| Milk distributors | 216 |
| Beer, Wine and "Off" Sales at grocers | 19 |
| Pickle manufacturers | 1 |
| Potato Crisp manufacturers | 3 |
| Public Houses and Off Licences | 248 |
| Restaurants and Cafes | 236 |
| Vinegar and non-brewed condiment manufacturers | 2 |
STREET TRADING IN FOODSTUFFS. Most street traders operate from approved
pitches and are licensed by the Borough Council under Section 24 of the London
County Council (General Powers) Act, 1947. Street Trading licences are
renewed annually upon application of the holders thereof and where such application
is for the renewal of the licence on its original terms the renewal is
automatic unless grounds are known to exist which call for a review of the
conditions prescribed thereon. The Council may refuse to renew a licence or
may vary such licence upon renewal only where the applicant is, on account of
misconduct or for any other sufficient reason in their opinion, unsuitable to
hold such licence in its original terms. The licences issued under the above
Act are for the purpose of regulating street trading, which is supervised by
the Streets Inspectors of the Department of the Borough Engineer and Surveyor;
any offences committed against the Food and Drugs Acts and the By-laws and