Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants of the township of Batley, in the West Riding of Yorkshire / by William Ranger, Superintending Inspector.

William Ranger

Date:: 1852

Credit: Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants of the township of Batley, in the West Riding of Yorkshire / by William Ranger, Superintending Inspector. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$especially desirous to have water fit for cooking purposes, as that, they now got was not only most scanty in quantity, but also most objectionable in quality. Scarcity of water had, in fact, become a public cry in the township ; and it was the want of water that had given life to the present movement for the application of the Public Health Act to their district. Stubley, a resident ratepayer, said,— That his family were six in number, and that he paid 2d a week tor water. He had a rain-water butt at the back of his house, but he was also compelled to keep one of his children, who was 9 years of age, at home to fetch water from the common well. Ihe supply from it was very bad, both in quantity and quality ; and his child was exposed to much evil in consequence of the quarrels that were continually arising at the well. E. Taylor said,— He begged to offer his testimony in support of that of the last witness. He was equally badly off for water, and he was also compe led to keep one of his children employed in carrying it from the common well. J a J. Willans said— refZdlotrinklt» * Carlinghow was 80 Polluted that the cattle J. Hepworth said,— That he had been badly off for water, but his landlord had built him a rain-water tank. Even with this help, however he f°r ™tei He ™W ™* » - the6 Mr. H. Ingram said,— beenTMd un IT 7* f ™F inferior His wife had Deen laid up with diarrhoea for a considerable time, and her =» * *» « water rf^cot Mr. Wilson said, - condition S6LWr f •6!t Tn\ f°r tbe ^P^ement of the sanitary condition of the district, but that the scarcity of water especiallv h d'wah d J°Uring P°PUkti0n' WaS 111(1 ™* -Ting IT 111 waiei ne paid Id. a week additional.' Mr. J. Blackburn, a resident, said,— 12/SdfiM ]TtV't-d °Ut ln constructing water-tanks as much as owner fty of ^hich he was the of / ' ;ik & 7el] f » ^pth Of 50 yards, and at a cost Ion 1 u ' , iad t,m,71 out il failure. He was quite willing to hiL inS tS C° % PQWer t0 ^dy the present sta ' things m tb, town. To show the scarcity of water for everypur-$