View report page

9
Social Conditions and Chief Occupations of the Population.
Deptford, although in parts inhabited by persons financially comfortably
situated, is essentially an industrial and working-class borough.
Unemployment and under employment is common and the standard of
life for many is, consequently, far below that which one would like to
see. The housing shortage necessitates many of the inhabitants living
under badly overcrowded conditions, and, even where overcrowding
does not exist, the unavoidable practice of letting, to two or more
families, houses originally constructed for only one family creates
great hardships to the occupiers. Incidentally, it causes still further
deterioration of property already far from being in a structurally good
condition.
Education facilities in respect of elementary, secondary and technical
education are well provided, while the Borough Council has made a
valuable contribution in establishing a Central and two Branch Libraries.
Swimming pools with chlorination plants to ensure cleanliness of
the water, slipper baths and washhouses are maintained by the Borough
Council and are largely used.
The chief industries are those associated with the metal trade, stone
and slate works, paper works, tarpaulin making, spinning and sackmaking.
As Public Health is intimately associated with Social Welfare an
endeavour has been made to obtain information, admittedly incomplete,
of the number of persons registered as unemployed or in receipt of
relief from the Public Assistance Committee.
The following figures have been kindly supplied to me by the
Manager of the Deptford Labour Exchange:—
Number of unemployed at 31st December, 1931:—
Men, 4,711 Women, 720 Juveniles, 164.
I am indebted to the Public Assistance Officer for the following
figures
(a) Total number of Deptford Residents, including wives and children,
on outdoor relief during the week ended 26th December, 1931:—
Unemployment 2,305
Other causes 3,109
5,414