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Messrs. Porks submitted a plan for improving the portion of the Surrey Mill Stream
between Millpond Bridge and Union bridge, to which the Vestry saw no objection, and the
work is now in progress.
Upon the dwceas.' of Mr. Joseph Bishop, the late clerk of the Works, the Vestry revised
the duties of the office, so that the officer to be elected would have the overlooking of tinworkmen
cmploved upon the streets and roads as well as the sewers' workmen. Advertisements
for candidates for the office were issued, and from 30 applicants the Vestry elected Mr.
Edward Thomas as their clerk of the Works, under the Surveyors of Sewers and Pavements,
at a salary of £3 per week.
APPENDIX No. I.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.
From 25th March, 1865, to 24th March, 1866.
To the Vestry of the Parish of Rotherhithe, Surrey.
GENTLEMEN,
I HEREWITH lay before you my Fourth Annual Report. Tables of mortality for each
quarter of the elapsed year, and for the whole year are annexed to it. It treats of the
causes of that mortality, of the number of births and increase of population, of nuisances
abated, and miscellaneous sanitary work done.
Except in the year when the census is taken, it is exceedingly difficult to make a correct
estimate of the number of the inhabitants of Rotherhithe. Certain it is, however, that the
quantity of peoplo in this parish is rapidly on the increase. The growth of trade which
brings every year a larger number of shipping into the river and Surrey Commercial Docks,
augments the floating population, the present thriving state of the yards and manufactorie s
has attructed numerous lubourers and workmen from neighbouring districts. Somo dwellings,
it is true, have lately been pulled down to make room for a great public work, yet but few of
the inmates of those dwellings have migrated elsewhere, and during the last twelvemonths
many houses have been, or are now being built.
There is srarcely a tenement or even an apartment to let in the locality, and such in the
eagerness to obtain residences, that houses are occupied long before they are properly finished,
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