[Report 1925] / Medical Officer of Health, Thornaby-on-Tees Borough.

  • Thornaby-on-Tees (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1925
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1925] / Medical Officer of Health, Thornaby-on-Tees Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    16/36 (page 14)
    In January of this year there were 450 applicants for Council houses. These applicants have not, of course, each received a house, there not being a sufficient number of houses, and many of the applicants not being suitable for one reason or another. However, this Borough has made great efforts to supply a very great need, and when the additional 110 houses in the course of construction are completed, I think the very pressing needs of the town will, to a great extent, have been met. The increase or decrease in the population of the Borough in the next five years is a debatable point. The tendency for new industries to be started further down the river is probable, whereas the possibility of new industries being started within the Borough is not likely. If this supposition proves correct there will be a tendency for a proportion of the population to leave Tbornaby-on- Tees in order to be nearer the new industries. There is, however, the possibility that there will not be sufficient houses near these industrial undertakings, and in that case the workers would be still compelled to live in their existing homes and travel to and from work. Thornaby is so situated that there is easy access to the more likely places of industrial activity, and so if there is suitable housing accommodation at suitable rentage, and rates are reasonable, the Borough has a good prospect of being a very suitable place for the workers in neighbouring places to dwell, provided that rapid and suitable means of transit can be maintained at cheap rates. There has been a tendency in recent years for non-industrial workers to live as far as conveniently possible from their work. This tendency no doubt will develop in the industrial worker also if suitable and rapid transit can be provided to and from work at reasonable rates. When this state of affairs takes place, and when sufficient houses are built in suitable places with desirable surroundings, then we may hope for a diminution of a great number /