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95.
The above figures show that only a small proportion
of those seeking accommodation on the County Council's
estates were successful in obtaining it, viz., 32 out of
125 applicants. It will be seen that the figures are
considerably less than those for 1928 and this may be
explained by the fact that whereas in 1928 there were
three estates available for Fulham residents, namely
the Watling, Downham and Becontree estates, during
the major part of 1929 the only estate available was
Becontree, which is generally unsuitable for Fulham
people owing to its distance from their places of
employment.
The families usually accommodated by the London
County Council are those whose total earnings amount
to £3 10s. or more per week and many of those accommodated
are in receipt of greater incomes, up to £8
per week.
The demand for houses is however more acute
among families with lower incomes.
A number of the people accommodated by the
County Council have returned to Fulham as the travelling
expenses to and from work were too high. In considering
the question of housing accommodation for the
working classes in Fulham two points stand out
prominently in contrast to one another, namely the
urgent need of dwelling houses and the scarcity of sites
within the Borough suitable for building. There is
much more demand for accommodation locally than on
the London County Council Estates. Up to the end of
year 1929, nine hundred and ninety-four applications
were received from residents of the Borough for accommodation
in the new flats to be built on the site of the
Swan Brewery. These will be 369 in number and will
be of great service in curing overcrowding and providing
good housing conditions for Fulham residents. The
congestion in the Borough is of course much more
general than could possibly be cured by building in
Fulham itself. Overcrowded families from other areas
are constantly crowding into Fulham. The Borough