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(3) As to the insanitary condition of St. Columba School, Kingsland Road (works now
in progress).
(i) As to the insanitary condition of Norfolk Buildings (works not yet commenced).
(5) As to the insanitary condition of the houses north of Nile Street, in Allerton Street,
Custance Street, Moneyer Street, Provost Street and Marsom Street.
To show the character of the work done, a few cases are given in detail as follows :—
BASING HOUSE YARD, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
These are 4-roomed cottages, with kitchen in back additions. Repeated efforts have
been made during past years by sanitary notices to secure an enduring improvement in
the condition of these premises ; unfortunately on each of those occasions the owner did
not succeed in getting his work done in a substantial manner; it therefore resulted, a
few years having elapsed, that the houses were found to be quite unfit for habitation, and
that the money spent on insufficient worke had simply been wasted.
In this case the Housing of the Working Classes Act secured what the Nuisance
Removal Acts had failed to obtain. To avoid proceedings for closing the premises (as
ordered by the Vestry), the owner requested to be supplied with a specification of
necessary works, and although the Act in such cases does not direct the Vestry to do
more than require the owner to make the premises fit for habitation, leaving him to his
own devices as to the nature and extent of the repairs and alterations to be made, it
was considered advisable to comply with the request, and therefore acting under
instructions I supplied a specification under which the owner's builder has executed the
works in a satisfactory manner, including repairs to roofs, repointing brick work,
provision of window and door cills, repairs to walls, ceilings, floors, stairs, &c., reconstruction
of drains, re-fitting of water-closets (Shoreditch pattern), paving of yards and
provision of gullies, paving of forecourts, the construction of one public dustbin, &c.
The houses have thus been put into good sound sanitary condition.
PENNY BANK CHAMBERS (GREAT EASTERN STREET.)
These (Model Dwellings) consist of six floors, the basement of which is used by the
tenant of adjoining premises in Great Eastern Street, as part of a warehouse which
extends under both premises.
The ground floor is reserved for the Bank purposes.
The 1st, 2nd, 3rd. and 4th floors are each divided into six suites of apartments,
each floor being fitted with three water closets, two sinks, with draw taps for water
supply, and one aperture (on landing) for reception of house refuse, opening into a shall,
which extended from the top floor into a dust bin enclosed in the basement warehouse.