London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hackney 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
This page requires JavaScript
The position in regard to street traders licensed to engage in the sale of food commodities at December 31st was as follows:
| Foodstuffs sold | Place of Trading | Total number of stalls | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridley Road | Chatsworth Road | Well Street | Kingsland Road | Broadway | Garnham Street | Lauriston Road | Bradbury Street | Other sites | ||
| Fruit and Vegetables | 54 | 31 | 17 | 6 | 18 | 2 | – | 2 | 8 | 138 |
| Fish (Wet dry and shell) | 9 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | – | 1 | 16 | 39 | |
| Fish and Poultry | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 2 |
| Meat and Poultry | 10 | 2 | 2 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 16 |
| Grocery and Provisions | 7 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | – | – | – | – | 23 |
| Sweets and Ice-Cream | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 11 |
| Soft Drinks | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Cakes and Biscuits | 1 | 2 | – | –- | 1 | – | – | – | – | 4 |
| Refreshments (Coffee stalls) | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | 2 | 5 |
| Apple Fritters | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Eggs | 1 | 3 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 5 |
| Totals | 86 | 51 | 28 | 15 | 30 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 27 | 245 |
SECTION 2 (General protection for purchasers of food and drugs). This section
provides that a person selling to the prejudice of the purchaser any food or
drug which is not of the nature, or not of the substance,, or not of the duality
demanded by the purchaser shall be guilty of an offence.
In five cases legal
| proceedings were taken under this section; | Fines | Costs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selling Apple Puffs not of Quality, Nature or Substance demanded | s. | d | s. | d | ||
| – | – | – | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Selling loaf of bread not of quality demanded | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Selling bottle of milk not of quality demanded | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Selling chocolate not of quality demanded | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Selling chocolate burnt almonds not of quality, nature or substance demanded | – | – | – | 5 | 0 | 0 |
SECTION 6 (False labelling or advertisement of food or drugs). A person who
gives with any food or drugs sold by him, or displays with any food or drug
exposed by him for sale, a label, whether attached to or printed on the wrapper
or container or not which
(a) falsely describes the food or drug or
(b) is calculated to mislead as to its nature, substance or quality
is guilty of an offence unless he proves that he did not know and could not
with reasonable diligence have ascertained that the label was of such a
character as aforesaid, No action was taken under this section.
SECTION 8 (Punishment for sale, etc., of food unfit for human consumption).
This section provides that any person who sells or offers or exposes for sale,
or has in his possession for the purpose of sale any food intended for, but
unfit for human consumption shall be guilty of an offence. Proceedings were
taken in one instance under this section,
SECTION 9 (Examination and seizure of suspected food). An authorised officer
of a council may at all reasonable times examine any food intended for human
consumption which has been sold, or is offered or exposed for sale, or is in
possession of or has been deposited with or consigned to. any person for the
purpose of sale, or of preparation for sale, and if it appears to him to be
unfit for human consumption may seize it and remove it in order to have it
dealt with by a justice of the peace, Formal action was necessary in one
instance
The following is the list of unfit foods which were voluntarily
surrendered and destroyed