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"Another way of meeting the difficulty would be, by the appointment
an inspector and an extra clerk, but it appears to me that it would be better
and more economical to appoint a second extra inspector instead of an extra
clerk, as the Vestry would receive back half the inspector's salary, but the
whole expense of the clerk would fall on the parish.
"I would take leave to draw your attention to the fact that the amount
of time your Medical Officer of Health is required to devote to the duties of
his office is quite inadequate to enable him to do justice to them; and under
the new Act, besides new duties imposed upon him, the large increment of
new work which he ought to direct and supervise, must, if he is to have that
command of the sanitary staff desired by the vestry, increase his responsibilities
to a very considerable extent, and make greater demands upon his
time.
"I am, Gentlemen,
"Your obedient servant,
"FRANCIS J. ALLAN, M.I).
"December 10th, 1891."
Eventually the Vestry decided to divide the parish into three parts, and to
place each under the charge of an inspector, Mr. Alexander to supervise their
work under the directions of the medical officer, and to discharge certain other
duties in regard to houses let in lodgings, houses being dealt with under the
Housing of Working Classes Act, &c. Messrs. Lear and Stiles were appointed
full inspectors, and Mr. Quelch, who previously had 18 years' experience in
plumbing and sanitary work, was elected fourth inspector.
To Mr. Lear was allotted the Hoxton division of the parish, containing
Hoxton New Town and part of Hoxton Old Town, extending to 223 acres, with
about 45,000 residents.
To Mr. Stiles the parish of Haggerston, comprising 45,530 persons, spread
over 258 acres ; and to Mr. Quelch the third division of Shoreditch South, with
the piece of Hoxton Old Town cut off from the first district, making in all 167
acres, with a resident population of 31,900. At first sight this would appear to be
the easiest district to work, but it must be remembered that it includes a large day
population and that it contains a great number of business premises, the sanitary
conditions of which must certainly be of an importance equal with that of dwelling
houses, for in them are the bread-winners, upon whose continued good health and
fitness for work depend a considerable portion of the parishioners. This is a
phase of public health work which is now beginning to attract public attention,
and it is with satisfaction that I report that a good start has been made in this
parish, and that already in a large number of Shoreditch workshops conditions
have been removed which must have been prejudicial to the health of those