Housing - New Monkland
Eastfield Rows, New Monkland Parish
(John Murray, General Manager, Nimmo's Coal Company, Owner)
We inspected this property on 24th June 1913, and are of opinion that it ought not to be available for inspection. There are 3 one-roomed houses, 3 two-roomed houses, and 3 back-to-back with the one-roomed houses. There are no sculleries, no coal-cellars, no closets, no ash-pits, and the water supply is from one stand in the street. The houses are old-looking, and should be pulled down. Rent here is 1s. 8d. for a house of one apartment, and 2s. 8d. for one of two apartments; is paid weekly, and does not include rates. [Evidence presented to Royal Commission, 25th March 1914]
Eastfield, New Monkland Parish
(Jas Nimmo & Company, Owners)
In reading the notes taken when we visited this place on 24th June 1913, I find a remark written through all the sheets - "Whole place and houses disgraceful, and should be pulled down." This place cannot be described at all; it must be seen. [Evidence presented to Royal Commission, 25th March 1914]
Longriggend, New Monkland Parish
(Jas Nimmo & Company, Owners)
These houses were visited on 24th June 1913, and were found to be like the property of the same Company at Eastfield - indescribable. No Commission on Housing can complete its labours without seeing this property. There are not even rhones on the houses to conduct the water along the roof. [Evidence presented to Royal Commission, 25th March 1914]
Roughrigg, New Monkland Parish
(Sinclair, Owners)
We inspected these houses on 24th June 1913. These are not houses at all, and are really held together by the work of the tenants. There are no sculleries, no coal-cellars, no washhouses ; two dry-closets or privies (of a kind) for twelve tenants ; scavenging done, sometimes and somehow ; one stand on the street for water; rent, 1s. weekly, plus rates, for a one-roomed house, and 1s. 8d. weekly, plus rates, for a two-roomed house. The whole place is most discreditable. [Evidence presented to Royal Commission, 25th March 1914]
Calderbank Square, Calderbank
This square is the property of Dunlop & Company. It consists of a complete square of two-storey houses, mostly single. Access is gained to the square proper by pend-closes. The area enclosed by the houses is more like a ploughed field than the entrance to dwellings. Rents are - for two rooms and kitchen, 3s. 1d. per week ; for one room and kitchen, 2s. 10d. per week; for single house, 1s. 10d. per week. There are coal-cellars of a kind let into the stairways, which are outside. Water is supplied from a few stand-pipes. Open middens are the only means of disposing of refuse ; there are privies attached to these, but at the time of our visit (25th December 1913) were not accessible unless one were wearing water-tight boots. We understand there is a proposal to erect water-closets here to justify the continued occupation of the property. That would be wise if they also built new property. These houses were erected in 1846. [Evidence presented to Royal Commission, 25th March 1914]
Calderbank Square
This property is built in the form of a square, having a frontage on two sides of 237 feet, on the other two sides of 187 feet.
This property contains fourteen tenements, each consisting of, on the ground floor, two houses of room and kitchen; on the upper floor, two houses each of room and kitchen.
The width of these houses from front to back is 26 feet.
Rental - 2s. 10d. per week, including taxes.
Four corner tenements (having a 33 feet 8 inches and 36 feet 6 inches frontage), each consisting of, on the ground floor, two houses each of room and kitchen; on the upper floor, two houses of room and kitchen, and one house of two rooms and kitchen.
There is a small close through each of these tenements.
The width of these houses (on the 36 feet 6 inches frontage) is 26 feet, (on the 33 feet 6 inches frontage) is 20 feet.
Rental - room and kitchen, 2s. 10d.; two rooms and 3s. 1d. per week, including taxes. Other two tenements, each consisting of, on the ground two houses each of one apartment; on the upper floor, one house of one apartment, and one house of two apartments.
The width of these houses from front to back is 20 feet
Rental - single apartment, 1s. 9d.; two apartments, 2s. 6d. per week, including taxes.
There is a pend close through these (20 feet wide) tenements.
The ceilings of all the foregoing houses are 8 feet 6 inches high.
The property is built entirely of stone, having a slated roof.
The ground-floor houses have only an entrance off the streets, the upper-floor houses having an open stone stair. There are no washhouses, and the only conveniences for the tenants are dry-closets, with ash-pits, and at the date of our visit were in a bad state of repair, and in a dirty condition, and are far too few in number.
Water is obtained from stand-pipes; a few of the houses have water in them, which we understand the tenants have to pay £1 towards the cost, but pay no additional rental.
The property apparently lacks a proper drainage system, and the court inside the square is in a very bad condition, more especially during wet weather.
The property was built about sixty years ago.
In our opinion the cost of the erection of this property would be about £7148.[Supplementary report on cost of rebuilding old houses, presented to Royal Commission on 25th March 1914]
Calderbank New Square
This property consists of two rows of houses.
No. 1 Row, facing Main Street, Calderbank, having a frontage of 236 feet 4 inches and 26 feet 2 inches wide.
The property contains five tenements, each consisting of, on the ground floor, two houses of room and kitchen; on the upper floor, two houses of room and kitchen: and two tenements, with 3 feet 6 inches close, each consisting of, on the ground floor, two houses of room and kitchen; on the upper floor, one house room and kitchen, and one house two rooms and kitchen.
The rental - room and kitchen, 2s. 10d.; two rooms and kitchen, 3s. 1d. per week, including taxes.
No. 2 Row, facing New Street, having a frontage of 236 feet 4 inches, and 22 feet 3 inches wide.
This property contains seven tenements, each consisting of, on the ground floor, two houses of kitchen with small bedroom (no fire) and scullery; and the upper floor, two houses of room and kitchen.
The rental - for houses ground and upper floors is 2s. 7d. per week, including taxes.
The ceilings of all the foregoing houses are 8 feet 6 inches high.
The property is built entirely of stone, having a slated roof.
There are no washhouses, and the only conveniences for the tenants are dry-closets, with ash-pits, and at the date of our visit were in a bad state of repair, and in a dirty condition, and are far too few in number.
Water is obtained from stand-pipes; a few of the houses have water in them, which we understand the tenants have to pay £1 towards the cost, but pay no additional rental. The property apparently lacks a proper drainage system, and the court inside the square is in a very bad condition, more especially during wet weather.
In our opinion the cost of the erection of this property would be about £4657.[Supplementary report on cost of rebuilding old houses, presented to Royal Commission on 25th March 1914]
White Row, Greengairs
This in a row consisting of six single-apartment houses, which were inspected and found to be damp and unfit for occupancy. The matter was reported to the Committee, who inspected the property. An interview was arranged with the proprietrix, but no proposal to remedy the condition was obtained. Statutory procedure was adopted, and a closing order obtained from the Sheriff. [1906 Annual Report of the County & District Medical Officer]
As mentioned in the preceding report, this property, consisting of six one-apartment houses, was reported as unfit for occupation, and was dealt with under Section 16 (1) of the Public Health Act. Sheriff Glegg granted a closing order. Since then the proprietrix has died, and my attention was directed to the place as becoming a nuisance through the public having access to it. The matter is being dealt with by the Sanitary Inspector. [1907 Annual Report of the County & District Medical Officer]
Two properties mentioned in last, year's report, White Row, Greengairs, consisting of 6 one-apartment houses, had been closed as unfit for human habitation, but the proprietrix continued to reside in one of them. After her death the premises became a nuisance through the public having access to them. The Sanitary Inspector took proceedings under Section 16, and the property is now demolished. [1908 Annual Report of the County & District Medical Officer]
South Stanrigg Rows
This group of 32 one-apartment dwellings was referred to in the Special Report on Housing, page 178. The houses were originally owned by a coal company, but are now in the hands of the superior, and their present insanitary condition was brought under his notice with the view of having them shut up. It was found, however, that the houses had been let on a lease which would expire at. Whitsunday, 1912, and the superior undertook that they would not be again let as dwellings after the expiry of this lease. [1910 Annual Report of the County & District Medical Officer]