[Report 1909] / Medical Officer of Health, Salop / Shropshire County Council.

  • Shropshire Council
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1909] / Medical Officer of Health, Salop / Shropshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    104/148 (page 82)
    Water Supply. Outlying farms and cottages have their own wells and are in most cases satisfactory. Snailbeach and have a plentiful and pure su])ply. Marton. A scheme has been prepared for supplying this village. Worthen and Brockton. “ Again I emphasize the absolute necessity of a supply brought to these villages from a distance from a source free from sewage contamination, there being no drainage system, and the wells being all shallow they are of necessity contaminated, and no alteration of such wells will in my opinion improve matters. I have good reason to believe that every well in use in these villages is more or less seriously contaminated.” Workshops and Slaughter Houses—in a satisfactory condition. Milkshops, Dairies, and Cowsheds. There are no milk shops. There are 27 cowkeepers on the register. Forty-one inspections have been made and all notices have been complied with. Recommendations. ‘ ‘ I recommend the Council to give their attention :— (1) To securing better ventilation of houses, especially of bedrooms ; (2) Towards the education of parents in regarding measles and whooping cough as serious diseases ; (3) To providing Worthen and Brockton with a water supply.” CHURCH STRBTTON (Urban). Medical Officer of Health .. .. M. Gepp, l.r.c.p.e., d.p.h. Area in Acres .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 982 Population at 1901 Census .. .. .. 816 Number of inhabited houses ,, .. .. .. 147 Number of persons per house „ .. .. .. 5.5 Physical Features and General Character of the District. “ The district comprises the small ancient town of Church Stretton, lying in an open valley running ‘ ‘ nearly North and South 600 feet above sea level, together with the lower slopes of the bold hills which form the sides of this valley, and which rise to some 1,600 feet O.D. The area is 982 acres. The subsoil of the “ valley is glacial drift, generally of dry and well drained gravel, the hillsides to the West being of hard Long- “ myndian rock strata, of Pre-Cambrian age, those to the East being also of hard rock, of Ordovician age.- “ The town lies on a Watershed, the natural drainage of the valley being on the North towards the Severn, “ and on the South towards the Teme, the fall being gentle in either direction. The situation is one of great “ natural beauty and healthfulness, and in consequence the number of residents and visitors has for some years “ been increasing. The Urban District was constituted in 1899. “ The area of development and of new building has been rapidly extending, and the character of the place “ has been changed into that of a modern residential district, and a health and holiday resort of high class, “ for which its open elevated situation and beauty of surroundings well fit it. “ Climate, soil, aspect, and natural drainage are favourable to a high standard of health and such it “ certainly enjoys. The Council has since its formation been active in promoting and encouraging the progress “ of the district on sound Sanitary lines. The Urban District has a plentiful sujiply of soft and excellent upland “ water, laid on to every house, and an admirable and extensive scheme of sewerage has been carried out, with “ the result that the town is thoroughly well drained. “ The development of building and laying out of new streets has been well regulated under a very com- “ plete and carefully considered series of By-laws. A public system of removal of house refuse has been adopted, “ and the Council is prepared through its Surveyor to test the Drainage of any house and to issue to the house- “ holder a certificate of sanitary efficiency where the drains pass the test. “ This is designed to encourage householders to keep their drains and sanitary arrangements up to a high “ standard, and as an assurance to Visitors to houses in the District, where the Certificate is obtained and “ exhibited.”