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
Clerkenwell 1888
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Clerkenwell, St. James and St. John]
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COURTS AND BLIND ALLEYS
IN CLERKENWELL.
REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE,
Dated December 16th, 1887.
The reference of the Vestry to this Committee of the 9th June
last was an instruction "to consider the present condition of the
Courts and Blind Alleys in the whole Parish, commencing with
No. 5 Ward, and to report thereon." The Committee presume
that the Vestry by this instruction intended them to make a
searching enquiry into all the conditions of existence in these
Courts. The Committee, therefore, have felt themselves directed
to enquire not only into actual evils, but also into the modes by
which those evils might be remedied.
The Committee have personally inspected all the Courts in No.
5 Ward —that is to say, Francis Court including Albion Cottages,
Berkley Court, Stratton Place, Eagle Court, Bishop's Court,
Aylesbury Place, and Jerusalem Court. They have visited
several of the tenements by permission of the occupants, who
have in all cases shown themselves ready to assist the Committee
in their enquiries; and having thus visited these Courts one by
one, the Committee make the following remarks on their condition:—
1. STRATTON PLACE.—A small Court of three houses, entered
from Berkley Street by a narrow arched passage, the
fronts of the houses separated from the backyards in Berkley
Street by a paved strip, and with very small yards behind each
house. The two larger houses contained, at the time of our
visit, 77 inhabitants, although one room at least was empty.
To each house only one w.c. was found. The Court is so pent
in between Berkley Street and the narrowest part of St. John's
Square as to be almost deprived of light and air.
Continued from previous page...
| Name of Officer. | Date of Appointment and Salary at Appointment. | Subsequent increase of Salary. | Amount received during year ending March 25th, 1889. |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM J. BaRTLETT, Sanitary Inspector | 20th August,;1885, £2 10s. and uniform | £130, and uniform. | |
| William Green, Sanitary Inspector | 19th January, 1888, £2 2s. and uniform | £2 4s., from January 19th, 1889. | £110 2s., and uniform. |
| John S. Bissmire, Messenger & Assistant Sanitary Inspector | January, 1876, at 12s. | To 17s., October, 1878; to 21s., May, 1883; to 25s., October, 1885 | £65, and uniform. |
| Mrs. Cheshire, Housekeeper, Vestry Hall | November 12th, 1887, at £1 per week, apartments, coals and gas | £52 and apartments, coals and gas. | |
| Gborge Bissmire, Mortuary Keeper | 16th November, 1882, 15s. weekly and apartments | £39, and apartments, coal and gas, and allowance of £2 2s. per annum for washing towels for post-mortem room. | |
| Wm. Jno. Ironside, Collector | March, 18o9, at 4d. in the £. £110 | Commission reduced to 3d. from Michaelmas, 1888. | £169 0s. 1d. Commission. £4 4s. for writing half-yearly Local Ratebooks. £1 1s. for attending poll at Vestry |
| George A. Potter, Collector | December, 1883, at 4d. in the £. £192 lis. | Election. £179 148. 1d. Commission. £4 4s. for writing half-yearly Local Ratebooks. £1 1s. for attending poll at Vestry | |
| Harry W. Holliday, Collector | September, 1872, at 4d. in the £. £82 6s. 8d. | Election. £135 5s. 1d. Commission. £4 4s. for writing half-yearly Local Ratebooks. £1 1s. for attending poll at Vestry | |
| Thomas Powell, Collector | December, 1875, at 4d. in the £. £109 16s, 2d. | Election. £162 14s. 4d. Commission. £4 4s. for writing half-yearly Local Ratebooks. £l Is. for attending poll at Vestry Election. |