Mr. Spear's report to the Local Government Board upon the sanitary condition and administration of the Rochester urban sanitary district / [John Spear].

  • Spear, John.
Date:
[1889]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Mr. Spear's report to the Local Government Board upon the sanitary condition and administration of the Rochester urban sanitary district / [John Spear]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    -raCTOTME- __LIBRARY General Collections +P Mr. Spear’s Report to the Local Government Board upon the Sanitary Condition and Administration of the Rochester Urban Sanitary District. George Buchanan, Medical Department, June 18th, 1889. Topography, Site, fyc.—The Urban Sanitary District of Rochester covers an area of 2,906 acres, and contains a population estimated now at 23,000, being an increase of 1,693 over the enumeration of 1881. It is situated on either bank of the Medway 10 miles above the junction of that river with the Thames, but not far above where the river may be said to become an estuary of the sea. On the west bank, partly on a tongue of land formed by a bend of the river, stands the old Cathedral city; Strood is on the other bank immediately opposite, and the two outlying villages of Borstal and Frinsbury are situated, the one on the “ Rochester side,” a mile and a half from the city, on well-elevated sloping ground, and the other about three-quarters of a mile above Strood. On the Rochester or western side of the river the population is estimated at 15,000; on the Strood side, 8,000.* On the east, that is, towards the estuary, the city adjoins the town of Chatham, and the urban district of Gillingham is situated still a little further below. On other sides Rochester is surrounded by rural areas. Geologically the district stands upon the Chalk, but a number of houses near the river banks, and especially on the Strood side, are upon alluvial soil, or at Strood, upon “ made” or artificial ground. Here the sub-soil water stands habitually some eight feet from the surface. From these low-lying localities the Chalk hills rise, and it is upon their slopes that the main part of the district is situated. Until 1884 the low-lying parts of Strood, comprising a considerable proportion of the inhabited part of that division, was much liable to flooding from the river, and in that year the Sanitary Authority, aided by the Bridge Wardens, constructed embankments along the riverside and throughout the ramifications of a small creek, and thus prevented the overflowing. At pre¬ sent, it is said, only the cellars of individual houses exceptionally situated are liable to flooding, and cases of this kind are found on both sides of the river. Sewerage and Drainage.—No regular sewerage exists in the district. Brick or earthenware-pipe highway drains have been constructed in the various parts, and in the low-lying districts overflow pipes from cesspools and privy- pits have been allowed to discharge into these channels ; in addition to a few closets and slop-water drains which communicate directly with them. On the river banks and in the small creeks of the riverside I saw certain outlets of the channels spoken of; the liquid discharged bore all the appearances of ordinary crude sewage, and the mud around was deeply discoloured by sewage matter. But for this partial exception sewage and slop-water are universally disposed of through the agency of cesspools and privy vaults, and their uncontrolled leakage. The excavations vary from 6 to 10 up to 20 feet in depth ; and, made to penetrate the Chalk, are constructed in such a way that soakage from them may be facilitated. They are, indeed, regarded as failing in their purpose if emptying is often required, and this is the reason why in the low-lying alluvial districts overflows have come to be generally provided. Elsewhere it has often happened that when a cesspool has filled, the sinking * As regards population, these are the estimates of the Medical Officer of Health. Those given me by the Clerk and by the Surveyor are considerably higher. o 58320. 150.—6/89. Wt. 930. E. & S. A ^3 o 58320.