[Report 1919] / Medical Officer of Health, Salop / Shropshire County Council.

  • Shropshire Council
Date:
1919
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1919] / Medical Officer of Health, Salop / Shropshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    52/58 (page 39)
    Church Sirctton Rural.—'' Early in the present year a j)rograinrne of new liouses liad been a-trcol on, and an immediate scheme for bnildmg 14 arranged. Sites liarl been selected and ].rioc agreed, and jdans passed for four at Little Stretton, four at All Stretton, ff>ur at Leebotwood, .L'ld two at Longnor. The architect had been instructed to prepare plans for a further instal- nunt of eight houses, two each at Hope Bowdler, Eaton, Rushbury and Longville.” Clcohitry Mortimer Rural.—“ The population at the 1911 Census was 6,976, and the estimated j'upulation for the year 6,629. An increase due to the letting of the houses at llighley may be taken ai about five hundred. A number of families from other parishes m the district may be e.xpected to move into them, but the majority will no doubt be occupied by those that have to live outside although workmg at the collieries. There will still be a great shortage of houses, most apparent at Clee Hill, and evidenced by the overcrowding that is so prevalent, and the condition of some of the cottages at present in occupation. Twelve cases of overcrowding were reported during the vear, the greater part of the overcrowding is due to the lack of bedroom accommodation in growuig families, and in addition to the small cubic space the bedrooms contain owing to the >loj)mg roof and want of height. There are a good few instances where members of the family have married and are obliged to continue to live with the parents for the want of vacant houses.” Chin Rural,—‘‘ As regards the .Council’s building scheme, the position early in the present war was the adoption of a programme of 80 new houses, of which the first instalment of about 30 \va> proposed to be proceeded with. These were Lydbury North 6, Chin 8, Colebatch 4, .\>ton-on-Clun 4, Chapel Lawn 4, Newcastle 4. Agreements were entered into for sites at Chapel Lawn, Newcastle, Aston-on-Clun, and Hopton Castle. In other cases difficulties as to have been e.xperienced, and some which w'ere provisionally approved have had to be aban- duned. Difficulties as to sites had occasioned delay in the case of Clun and Lydbury North.” DaMcy Urban.—“ There are no shortage of houses for persons wLo are employed in the district, but the district is convenient!}' situated for men working in the various works of the Lilkshall Co., and the Kemberton Pits are on the borders. About 600 mmers live in the district .md work either at Kemberton or one of the Lhleshall Pits. The Council take the view that there i^ 111) >hortage of houses for the men who work in the district, and that they are not called upon to provide for others. ■' They are prepared to build a small number of houses, if it could be done at a reasonable ro'i and could be let at a rent that the Inhabitants could pay. The present rents are from-2/- to 4'- in the large majority of cases, and a rent of 15/- and upwards for new houses could not be obtained. Overcrowding.—At the 1911 Census in the district 18.4 per cent, of the population were hvin- in what was regarded by the Registrar-General as overcrowded conditions, whilst the hgtiic for the urban districts of Shropshire as a whole was 10.o. A lecent enquiry proved that ui f<inv houses there were two families living. The chief overcrowding however, is where the hi the course of years has out-grown the two-bedroomed cottage, it is very seldom due to li»<igi.-rs. Fitness of Houses.—General Standard of Housing. The houses are for the most part op'ild ( ftn^lruction, but there has been a steady improvement in recent years. .-V large proportion of tl:<- houses were built when Iron and Coal Mming and e.xtensive Ironworks made the district •' V. ry ])rosperous one. They are apjiroaching a hundred years old, without damp course, ’f'cndiing. and often drainage ; they arc scattered in isolated groups over the district, out of of the sewers. They are, as a rule, without through ventilation and sometimes of barrack ’■'T*'- riie brickwork, mortar and woodwork is often perished and accommodation \crv '’-tri. te/l.”