Dwellings for the labouring classes : report of th medical officer of health to the sanitary committee.

  • Newcastle upon Tyne (England)
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dwellings for the labouring classes : report of th medical officer of health to the sanitary committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    In 1885, the Corporation of Birmingham rejected a proposal to build workmen's hou»ses. In 1889, they resolved to erect 22 cottages, at an estimated cost of ^4,000, and the work of erection was begun in February last (Report of Birmingham Improvement Scheme, page 9). No information as to the completion of these dwellings has been received. In Manchester, a scheme has been approved by provisional order under Cross's Acts, for the demolition of bad property and the erection of labourers' dwellings, in four areas, but no dwelli-ngs have yet been erected. The combined area affected will be about four acres in extent. Queries 2 and 3. - The Glasgow Dwellings are occupied by a highly respectable class of tenants; but they are all people who never have any difficulty in getting accommodation. The dwellings give satisfaction. The Huddersfield Dwellings are occupied by workmen, joiners, masons, smiths, letter-carriers, policemen, and labourers. They also give satisfaction, but the tenants think they are paying enough rental. To Query 4, the following is a summary of the replies received :— Under Torrens' Acts.—In Nottingham, a large number of houses have been condemned and demolished under Torrens' Acts (A.D. 1868, et seq.), and no special difficulties have been experi- enced in dealing with them. Under Cross's Acts (Birmingham Improvement Scheme).—■ Under the Artizans' and Labourers' Dwellings Improvement Act, 1875, the Corporation of Birmingham, shortly after the passing of the Act, acquired a large amount of property, comprising 3,744 houses, of which 3,054 were occupied by artizans. The total population of the area was 16,596, including 13,538 persons of the artizan class. The property was, to a large extent, acquired without putting into force the compulsory powers of the Act. The rateable value of the whole was £6^,^2,6. The estimated net cost of the scheme was ;^550 000. On the acquisition of the land, operations were commenced. New streets were formed, and land was let for the erection of Artizans' Dwellings. The total expenditure (liability) on the scheme amounts to above 500,000. (See Report on Improvement Scheme, page 7).