than 94 per cent. of the people dispossessed before the buildings were erectea on the site. In the Burlington Street area the proportion worked out at 99 per cent. In 1869 the Liverpool Corporation cleared a large space known as Nash Grove, and erected the first block of workmen's dwellings, consisting of a five-storey building with accommodation for over 1,200, the money being provided out of the capital estate of the borough. The result was that the persons dispossessed overflowed into the immediate neighbourhood, adding to the overcrowding, while the new building was occupied by a superior class. Subsequently the Corporation disposed of surplus lands to builders at much less price than that ruling in the neighbourhood, for the purpose of erecting workmen's dwellings. The results were, however, much the same as before. In 1885 the Corporation opened the Victoria Square dwellings, a block of 270 tenement houses erected under the Artisans' and Labourers' Dwellings Improvement Act, 1875. The ceremony was performed by Lord Cross, who had so closely identified himself with this movement. A further block of 101 tenements was erected under the same Act in 1890. It was in 1897 that the Liverpool Corporation made the first effort to provide for those who were dispossessed through the demolition of insanitary property by the Corporation, and for persons occupying condemned insanitary houses or cellars, or houses which were reported by the medical officer of health as being overcrowded. Up to 1902 practically the whole of the work had been carried out under the Liverpool Corporation Sanitary Amendment Act, 1864. The results of the policy of restricting the use of corporation dwellings to the persons who have been turned out of the insanitary dwellings have more than justified the experiment, and the pioneer efforts of Liverpool are now being followed in other towns. As previously explained, improvement schemes must provide for the accommodation of the dispossessed unless the Local Government Board give special permission to omit this. In 1902, the Liverpool Corporation launched its first scheme under Part I of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, and has continued to operate under this Act ever since, except in a few minor isolated cases, where the Corporation have agreed with owners of the insanitary property, to pay compensation for demolition. Since 1902, Liverpool has consistently adhered to the policy of restricting its housing schemes to those dispossessed from insanitary areas, and the citizens on the whole are to-day satisfied that this policy of restriction has been the corner-stone of their success in solving their housing problem: seeing that they have had to grapple with the bed-rock bottom class of the population. Statistics, which have been carefully compiled, are given below, with regard to the number of dispossessed persons who have availed themselves of the new dwellings erected by the Corporation. Taking eight different areas dealt with under Part 1 of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, out of a population of 7,822 persons displaced, 5,431, or 70 per cent., were re-housed, and, in one particular area known as the Bevington Street area, opened in 1912, 94 per cent. of the people were re-housed, and, in the Burlington Street area, no less than 99.5 per cent. LIVERPOOL ARTISANS' AND LABOURERS' DWELLINGS 1 The figures given as to the population re-housed are obtained from the application forms, and represent the number of persons who had been dispossessed by the operation of schemes and who entered the various corporation dwellings, not necessarily only into the new tenements erected on the 15-(1752) LIVERPOOL HOUSING SCHEMES VITAL STATISTICS relating to six unhealthy areas dealt Average death rate per 1000 per annum for the three years 1904-5-6 Average death rate per 1,000 per annum for the three years 1904-5-6 in the above areas 44.40 20:40 3.90 Average phthisis death rate per 1,000 per annum for the three years 1906-7-8 in the city 1.66 Liverpool has completed twenty-two blocks of dwellings, numbering 2,894 tenements, of which 2,340 are reserved exclusively for those people who have been dispossessed. The population of the dwellings, according to a census taken recently, is 10,989, in addition to upwards of 1,000 men on His Majesty's Service, and 250 New Buildings, Playgrounds, etc. in the Mercantile Marine. The dwellings are, generally speaking, three storeys in height, and consist of one, two, three and four rooms, with rents ranging from 1s. 9d. to 6s. per week. There are also a number of selfcontained houses of four rooms, the rents of which are 7s. per week. site of the property from which they were dispossessed, and by comparing this figure with the number of the population dispossessed, the percentage has been arrived at. NOTE. The majority of the persons displaced by the Hornby Street scheme were re-housed in the New Hornby Street dwellings (which were built in three sections), while those displaced by the Burlington Street scheme were nearly all accommodated in the last portion of Hornby Street new dwellings. Those displaced from Bevington Street area were re-housed in the Burlington Street dwellings, as well as subsequently in the new Bevington Street dwellings. In the case of the Adlington Street, Upper Mann Street, Grafton Street, Northumberland Street and St. Anne Street schemes, the persons displaced were found accommodation in existing available tenements in adjacent dwellings, as well as in the new dwellings on these sites. Whenever possible, playgrounds have been provided-in many cases one for boys and another for girls. Gymnasia are also fixed in each; and, in two instances, sand gardens for the smaller children. On several of the buildings, flat roofs, arranged as play-grounds, with shelters, have been provided. Each of the new tenements has complete through ventilation, a small yard, its own separate water supply, separate W.C., coal stores, food locker ventilated from the outer air; and the later tenements have baths and hot and cold water supply to each. The latter conveniences especially are much appreciated, and are fully availed of in the proper way by the tenants. The Housing Committee has resolved that a bath and hot-water supply shall in future be fixed in every house or dwelling, so satisfactory have they proved to be. The earning percentage of the tenants under normal conditions. is low, and the rents are fixed so as to approximate to those previously paid by them, otherwise it would not have been possible to re-house the dispossessed, owing to their inability to pay an increased rent. It is quite clear that some people are strongly opposed to oneroomed tenements. Dr. J. F. Sykes, when speaking once at the Re-housing the Agricultural Association, stated Very Poor. People sometimes said, "You ought to build for the very poorest." That could not be done, and he should be sorry to see the architectural profession trying to do it. He was strongly opposed to one-roomed tenements. It is interesting to compare these words with those of the late Thomas H. Blashell, formerly architect to the London County Council. As to re-housing, the County Council has never re-housed, and would never be likely to do so, upon the lines it was compelled to do. The Council had taken in another class, and some of the people who had been turned out had gone and overcrowded other localities. And again: "If the municipal authorities do not build for the very poorest, I do not know why they should build at all." In Liverpool the City Council has made an interesting experiment in this direction. The very cheapest form of building consistent with durability has been constructed for this class. An average rent of little more than 1s. a room is charged; there are no sort of decorations, and only the barest conveniences in the tenements, which are found to let well and just cover expenditure. While agreeing as to the necessity of housing the "poorest poor," we must be guided by circumstances in each case, and many of the further experiments that have been made by municipalities cannot but command our approval. In contrast with the experience of Liverpool may be mentioned the attitude of the London County Council as evidenced in their Boundary Street Improvement Scheme. London County The Boundary Street Estate was the largest scheme carried out by the London County Council. It was condemned as an insanitary area. 2,300 adults lived in the area, and when classified according to the various occupations of the tenants the largest group was found to consist of labourers; there were almost the same number of hawkers, and there were no bricklayers, plumbers, or plasterers. Although there are no returns showing the number of roon s formerly occupied by the tenants, it is apparent, from the returns of their occupations, and also from the fact that it was a slum district, that the majority of the people on this estate occupied only one room, and it is not to be wondered at that only eleven people were re-housed out of a total of 5,719, when one considers the accommodation supplied. The following are particulars of the present buildings— Thus, out of a total of 1,069 suites, there are only fifteen tenements of one room, the only accommodation for the very poor. Naturally the houses are occupied by a superior class to those who were dispossessed. When we are informed that 16,555 persons were displaced from the insanitary areas alone, it seems clear, from the above figures, that the London County Council never intended to re-house the poor. There are so many difficulties to be overcome when building single rooms with common w.c.'s, sculleries, etc., that the policy has evidently been to pull down slum property and cater for a better class. |