Dr. Blaxall's report to the local government board on the sanitary condition of Okehampton (Devon).

  • Blaxall, F. H.
Date:
1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Blaxall's report to the local government board on the sanitary condition of Okehampton (Devon). 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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    Dr. Blaxall’s Report to the Local Government Board on the Sanitary Condition of Okehampton (Devon). Edward C. Seaton, M.D., Medical Department, September 18, 1879. The present inquiry was instituted by the direction of the Local Government Board, in consequence of it having been reported to them by a ratepayer of Okehampton that the provisions of the Public Health Act were inefficiently administered; that the sewerage of the town was very imperfect; and that conditions calculated to exercise a prejudicial effect upon health generally prevailed. Preliminary.—Okehampton was formerly a Parliamentary and Corporate Borough in virtue of a charter granted to the town in 1623, by which the government was vested in a mayor, eight principal and eight assistant burgesses, with a recorder and town clerk. This charter was enlarged and renewed in 1684, and is still the governing charter, as although the borough was disfranchised in 1832, it was not included in the Municipal Reform Act of 1835. The burgesses are self elected, and the mayor, ex- mayor, and recorder are justices of the peace and hold general quarter sessions for the borough. In 1864 the borough adopted the Local Government Act, when the administration of the Public Health Act and relative duties devolved upon the newly constituted Local Board; the corporate body retaining their right to act as justices of the peace, and continuing to exercise their magisterial functions. A considerable amount of property belonging to the town, and formerly vested in the Corporation, was by direction of the Charity Commissioners transferred to Trustees, who are empowered to pay annually to the Local Board a certain proportion of the income derived from such property, amounting at present to about 200/. per annum, but which will increase as certain claims upon the property shall be paid off. A further source of income accruing to the town are the markets, which are let by tender or auction, and realise some 300/. or so per annum. This money is not included in the Charity Trust fund, but is entirely at the disposal of the Corporation, who, I am told, have now about 500/. or 600/. in hand, with which they propose to build a new market. General Description.—The town of Okehampton is pleasantly situated in a deep valley on the northern confines of Dartmoor, at an elevation of 520 feet above the level of the sea. It is watered by two fine rapid streams, the East and West Okement, which take their rise on the Okement hill of Dartmoor, and after a somewhat tortuous course enter the town at opposite sides; shortly after leaving the town they unite and form the Okement river, which, pursuing a northerly course, joins the Torridge, and ultimately enters the sea at Barnstaple Bay, The centre of the town is occupied by an open space known as the Parade, whence the principal street, which is rather more than half a mile long, branches out on each side, east and west, crossing over the two rivers, which are bridged for the purpose. The houses at either extremity of the street are about 60 and 90 feet respectively above the Parade. Geology.—The geological formation belongs to the carbonaceous system, which on the southern border of the district is in intimate relation with the granite of the Dartmoor hills. Population.—In 1871 the population was returned at 1,900, and is now estimated at about 2,000 persons. A corn and cattle market is held weekly and is largely attended. There is an artificial manure factory just outside the town, but beyond this there is no special industry. Water supply.—The town is mainly supplied with water derived from underground .springs on Dartmoor, but there are two dip-wells situated respectively on the east and west sides of the town, which are more or less used by the people living in their vicinity. (1.) The water of the springs is collected and conveyed by various earthenware pipes which converge to one 4-inch pipe, through which it flows to a receiver, and thence to a reservoir situated at an elevation of 300 feet above the town. The reservoir is constructed of solid masonry set in tiles and cemented, and consists of two compart- ments arched over, having together a cubic capacity equal to 120,000 gallons. From the reservoir the water is conducted to the town by 4-inch iron pipes (protected by Angus Smith’s varnish), and there distributed on the constant system to various houses, and to seven public stands for the use of the cottagers free of charge. It is N 194. Wt. G062