It is curious to note for 1931 that Ward 2 had the lowest infantile mortality rate although almost the highest population density , and that in the south of the Borough the infantile mortality was three times greater .sx We suggest that the close proximity of Ward 2 to the heights of Hampstead may be partly responsible , the Wards 7 and 8 being at a much lower level .sx ( The altitude at Hampstead is 427ft .sx and at King's Cross 48ft .sx above ordnance datum .sx ) It is possible that over a number of years these figures would vary considerably and the disproportion be less marked .sx Figures are given for Ward 6 as a matter of contrast and interest .sx The work of the Parent Society is carried on in that Ward of the Borough .sx OPEN SPACES .sx The Borough has within its bounds the famous open spaces of Ken Wood , Regent's Park , Primrose Hill , and a fourth smaller but equally important " lung " , the Foundling Site fronting on to Guilford Street in the south , and even the latter may be lost .sx It is much to be regretted that these open spaces are not consider-ably nearer the most congested areas in the Borough particularly Somers Town in Ward 6 , and Ward 2 .sx The Foundling Site is shared by the adjacent Boroughs of Holborn and Clerkenwell .sx There is , therefore , a great dearth of playing grounds for the children where most needed , and owing to the prevalence of poverty amongst the lower paid workers with large families , there is insufficient money to pay car fares for the bigger children to go to the parks .sx Apart from this there is the parents' objection to small children travelling in public conveyances and crossing public thoroughfares unattended .sx There are a few small public gardens , such as St. Pancras Church , St. James's Gardens , etc. , scattered throughout the Borough .sx These are chiefly ancient graveyards , and are popular with old people and young mothers with babies and small children , especially in the summer months .sx DESCRIPTION OF WARD 2 .sx Apart from the properties in the Maitland Park area , the houses and cottages are , as described previously , in varying stages of good and bad repair .sx A typical house now let in tenements consists of two rooms and a scullery on the ground floor , two rooms on the first floor , and two rooms on the second floor .sx In fortunate cases there may be a tap and a small sink on the staircase between the first and second floors .sx In the yard at the rear ( often very small ) is the communal wash-house and lavatory .sx It is exceptional to find more than one lavatory .sx A six-roomed house generally houses three families and may contain as many as six families .sx There may be a third floor giving an additional two rooms to the house and an extra room on the ground floor , in which case there is nearly always an additional family .sx The cottage property varies from substantial four-roomed houses to two rooms only , as in part of Quadrant Grove and Crown Place respectively .sx A description of Crown Place follows later in this section .sx In all cases these old properties have been built before the date of the London Building Acts , without damp-proof courses .sx The wooden floor joists are laid on the earth .sx This allows damp to rise and , apart from putting in adequate damp-proof courses at consider-able expense , there is no satisfactory method of dealing with this nuisance .sx This is a great source of continuous complaint and living and sleeping in perpetual damp , especially in basement rooms , becomes intolerable ( e.g. , Weedington Road) .sx Where there is rising dampness the basements are quite unfit for use as sleeping apartments , and such use should be discontinued .sx There is a considerable amount of small shop property .sx There is a certain amount of industry , with some workshops occupying space where " yards " of houses should be .sx On the whole , industry is confined to the area adjoining the railway which cuts through the Ward , almost in the centre , from north to south .sx There are several areas in which the houses , owing to the worn-out condition of the property , or narrowness and closeness and bad arrangement of the houses and density of population , have now outlived their usefulness and should be demolished .sx There are many other small streets in which the houses are Just a little better in structure and general condition than the houses and cottages in the areas referred to above .sx These include such streets are Crown Terrace , Rhyl Street , The Gardens , St. Leonard's Square , etc. , etc. Much of this property is neglected , although some individual houses are well cared for , differing according to the owner .sx Much could be done without considerable capital expenditure by repairs , decoration , and sanitary additions to make these small houses more suitable homes for single families .sx It does not alter the fact , however , that many of these streets , particularly the smaller ones , are too narrow , and are hemmed in by surrounding properties , and the problem of rising dampness would have to be dealt with .sx Examples A. , B. , and C. represent three different types of cottage in Crown Place .sx Each is now packed in between factories and workshops .sx is the worst type .sx These are two-roomed cottages , badly lighted , with no through ventilation .sx They are damp and dilapidated , but redecorated inside and watched by the Sanitary Inspector .sx The wash-houses and w.cs. are across the paved court only a few feet wide but there are tiny gardens .sx No .sx and others are overcrowded and damp .sx These are rather better cottages than A. and are of the " two rooms up and two down " type .sx B. cottages are damp and plagued with rats .sx Some of these cottages were under repair at the time of visiting .sx represents the smallest group in Crown Place .sx These cottages are of the same type as B. , but they have no gardens and abut immediately on to the narrow pavement .sx The brickwork is in a much more sound condition .sx The whole of Crown Place is deplorable and should be demolished .sx Before proceeding to describe conditions in the Ward in detail it will be useful here to state the main results of the findings of the Survey .sx These are :sx ( 1 ) Overcrowding , particularly in certain areas .sx ( z ) High rents charged universally .sx During the Survey :sx 249 Houses were visited .sx 49S Families seen .sx The houses visited were in no way specially selected , and the basis of visiting one house in seven was adopted , but this could not always be strictly adhered to .sx In the case of the worst areas a standard of one in two was taken .sx STATE OF REPAIR .sx The state of repair was found at the time of visiting to vary enormously from house to house , from one side of a street to the other , or from street to street .sx The general impression obtained was that in many of the streets the state of repair was fairly good , apart from the lack of paint to the external wood and iron work .sx This would add to the dreariness of any neighbourhood .sx Various complaints were received and defects noted in about fifty houses , some of the worst being broken , crumbling plaster , verminous walls , leaking roofs , rising dampness , rats and beetles , broken floorboards , worn-out fittings , defective yard paving , porous and bulging brickwork , etc. In many instances it was found that the tenants decorated their own rooms e.g. , No .sx , Bassett Street , and No .sx , St. Silas Street .sx In weekly properties the onus for repair falls upon the landlord almost without exception .sx There are two main causes of houses falling into disrepair .sx Neglectful Landlords .sx Many of the landlords own only small groups of houses and are dependent upon them for income , or a large part of their income .sx The proportion of the profits that should be spent upon the upkeep of the houses is not always so spent .sx The result is that the external paintwork , internal fittings , etc. , are systematically neglected and the unfortunate tenants are forced either to apply to the Town Hall for a Sanitary Notice to be served upon the landlord , or to carry out themselves , very often at their own expense , such repairs as redecorating their rooms .sx External neglect is very noticeable in part of Weedington Road and Litcham Street .sx The Tenants .sx From the information obtained and from our own personal experience of working class property in this Borough and other parts of London , we consider it is fair to state that with few exceptions the tenants do .sx not wilfully damage their premises .sx Where the houses are old and occupied by two or three families or more the constant wear and tear on parts and fittings common to the house must necessarily be very heavy .sx The bill for decorations must increase when whole families have to cook , eat , and sleep in one or two rooms ( very often verminous and not always well ventilated) .sx In some of the older cottages where ceilings are low and oil lamps still in use the result can be well imagined .sx It is not generally known amongst " controlled " tenants that they may apply to the Local Authority for certificates specifying the work required to be done to put their premises in order .sx It is interesting to note that according to the Medical Officer of Health's report for 1931 forty applications were received under the Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions Act , 1923 , and in thirty-eight cases certificates were granted .sx During the year notices were served by the Sanitary Inspectors requiring certain defects to be remedied in respect of 1,069 dwelling-houses in the Borough , and two houses were demolished under Demolition Orders from the authorities .sx OVERCROWDING .sx In describing any of the conditions found it must be clearly understood that " overcrowding " does not necessarily mean legal overcrowding , which is measured in terms of cubic feet only , and in no way refers to the number of persons per room or the mixing of sexes .sx During the Survey some seventy-nine families were found to be overcrowded as to numbers per room .sx The standards adopted have been :sx ( I ) The Registrar-General's ( more than two persons per room) .sx Bedroom Overcrowding ( more than two adults per room , assuming that father and sons share one room and mothers and daughters a second) .sx This arrangement is not always adopted , but it is in many cases .sx The Mixing of Sexes ( adults ) in bedrooms .sx It will be seen from the accompanying table that the greatest .sx number of overcrowded families occupy two rooms only .sx Before giving details of the families found to be " overcrowded " , .sx we append the following summary of results obtained from the .sx information supplied by the 495 families visited :sx There are numerous other instances of cases of disrepair .sx It is considered that the majority of the repairs required to be carried out could be done .sx Full powers are given to the local authorities under the 1930 Housing Act , the Public Health Acts , and Local Bye-Laws to order these if the landlords fail to do them of their own accord .sx If necessary the Council may complete the work themselves and charge up the cost to the owner .sx OVERCROWDING TABLES .sx Number of families visited and found to be overcrowded :sx 79 .sx Details of overcrowding summarised and given below .sx Table showing number of families consisting of two to twelve persons occupying one to five rooms :sx Much has been written and spoken about the evils of allowing such crowded conditions to continue .sx When all the functions of life and death , apart from the daily process of eating , sleeping , etc. , have to take place in such confined areas , only those who have to put up with these horrible conditions can fully understand all that it entails .sx The most congested areas were found to be Litcham Street , Weedington Road , Tovey Place , although evidence of overcrowding was found in almost every street .sx In the case of two very crowded families there are girls attending Central Schools through scholar-ships .sx It is incredibly hard that their efforts should be hampered by such conditions at home .sx In some instances whole houses were found to be overcrowded e.g. :sx the family's income is very low .sx The rent paid for the room is 5s .sx 6d .sx per week .sx It is doubtful if any higher rent could be afforded even were better accommodation available .sx The house was found to be in a poor state of repair and is of a type that is beyond " reconditioning " .sx