Dr. F. St. George Mivart's report to the Local Government Board on the general sanitary circumstances and administration of the Borough, and the Rural District, of Bridgnorth.

  • Mivart, F. St. George.
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Dr. F. St. George Mivart's report to the Local Government Board on the general sanitary circumstances and administration of the Borough, and the Rural District, of Bridgnorth. 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 general I heard but little complaint as to the condition of roofs. On the other hand, gutter-spouting is frequently lacking ; in numerous instances I found down-pipes broken, displaced, or discharging upon the ground close to the walls. A frequent defect I found to be ill-fitting doors and windows, allowing rain to penetrate into rooms. There is great need for cottages for the poorer labouring class in Bridgnorth, more especially for cottages with sufficient accom- modation for such as have families. Instances were cited of persons who had desired to marry, but had been compelled to wait owing to the impossibility of finding a dwelling. Indeed, it appeared to me that the shortage of houses was not confined to dwellings of the poorer class alone. Rents are high ; in some cases remarkably so, considering the accommodation afforded. This need for houses has been admitted for many years past by persons acquainted with the town. In 1894 the Bridgnorth Town Council, under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1882, and the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, applied to the Board for sanction to borrow £5,000 for the erection of dwellings for the working classes, and for approval of the appropriation to that object of certain corporate land and funds. A public inquiry was held with regard to this matter in January, 1895, by one of the Board’s engineering inspectors. It was proposed to erect twenty cottages in blocks of eight and six, and also ten semi-detached cottages of a superior type. As result of this inquiry the Board informed the town council that they were not prepared to accede to that part of the scheme concerned with the erection of the twenty cottages first mentioned, inasmuch as they were of opinion that the site on which it was proposed to erect them could not be. regarded as suitable for the purposes in view. As to the other part of the scheme, concerned with the erection of ten semi-detached cottages, the Board pointed out that it was proposed to discharge the sewage from these cottages in an unpurified condition into the Severn, and that they were not prepared to give their sanction to the construction of any works which would have the effect of causing unpurified sewage to be discharged into the river. The Board added that, before they could further consider this part of the town council’s application, a proper scheme for the purification of the sewage from these cottages should be prepared and submitted to them. In reply to a subse- quent communication from the Board, inquiring how the matter stood, the town council stated that they had determined for the present to abandon this application. In view of the pressing need for dwellings in Bridgnorth, it is much to be regretted that the town council did not, by means of a suitable scheme, persevere in their praiseworthy intention to provide additional housing accommodation. Water Supply.— Bridgnorth possesses a duplicate public water supply, consisting of (1) spring water intended for drinking purposes only, and laid on to public stand pipes ; and (2) water from the Severn filtered and delivered at or into houses. The latter supply is, ostensibly, for purposes other than drinking. These two systems are said to supply in addition about 25 houses outside the borough, 15228 A 2