The Annual Report on the Health of the Parish of St. Mary Abbotts, Kensington, during the year 1874

by T. Orme Dudfield

LICENSED SLAUGHTER HOUSES.

The licensed slaughter-houses—49 in number—viz., 28 in the North Sanitary District, and 21 in the South, have been duly inspected. In my last annual report I gave some account of the Slaughter Houses (Metropolis) Act, 1874, under which the Metropolitan Board of Works, as the “local authority,” were empowered to frame bye-laws, for regulating the conduct of the business of a slaughterer of cattle, and the structure of the premises in which the business is carried on. As it was impossible to get the bye-laws framed and confirmed by the Local Government Board previous to the annual licensing day in the month of October (as a matter of fact they were not confirmed until the 27th of May in the present year), your Vestry, on the recommendation of the Sanitary Committee, unanimously resolved that certain conditions were essential in order to fit a slaughter-house for the business, and decided to oppose the renewal of licenses in every case that did not come up to the standard. The conditions were as follows:

1. A slaughter-house should have an independent entrance, so that the cattle may not have to pass through the house or shop; and it should be at a reasonable distance from other buildings, particularly inhabited houses.

2. It should be open to the roof; or, at least, should have no inhabited rooms over it.

3. It should be well ventilated and properly lighted, so that the slaughtering may be done, as it always should be, with closed doors.

4. It should have walls and floor of smooth and impervious materials—the flooring being laid on concrete.

5. It should be well drained, with stone ware pipes, and the drains should be permanently trapped.

6. It should have attached to it ample and separate lairage, constructed with a due regard to sanitary and other requirements.

7. It should be effectually separated from any lair, stable, dung-pit, w.c., &c., so that the meat may not be exposed to any offensive effluvia.

8. It should be of adequate size, and should not be used for any other purpose than that for which it is licensed, and particularly it should not be used as a stable, a lair, or a cow-shed.

Upon viewing the several slaughter-houses by this standard, so many were found defective in one or other respect that it was thought best to give the formal notice of opposition required by the Act, in every case, but your Clerk and myself were directed to oppose the renewal of the license in those cases only that did not come up to the standard. We did this, but the justices overruled our objection in every case, on the ground that the premises, however faulty, had been licensed in former years, and time must be allowed to put them in proper order. At the same time, the justices gave the assembled licensees notice that at the next licensing day (in October of the current year, namely) they would not renew the license in any case that was not up to the standard. With reference to the decision of the magistrates, and the ground on which it was based, it is, perhaps, hardly necessary for me to state the fact, so well known already, that the existing slaughter-houses, were, without exception, licensed before I entered upon the duties of my appointment, and that the reason your Vestry did not oppose the renewal of the licenses in either of the subsequent years was that, in common with myself, you believed that the private slaughter-houses would be finally closed in 1874, under the operation of the Building Act, 1844. It only remains to add that the slaughter-houses will now have to be judged by the standard of the bye-laws; and it may therefore be useful to state in what respect the bye-laws differ—either in excess or defect—from the standard adopted by your Vestry in 1874. As regards new slaughter-houses, the requirements of the “local authority” are fully up to that standard; and, as regards existing slaughter-houses, the only material differences between the bye-laws and the standard relate to the points dealt with in clauses 1 and 6 (supra). The bye-laws do not require that a slaughter-house shall have an independent entrance, or be at all removed from other buildings; and they do not require provision to be made for housing cattle previous to slaughtering; but it is enacted that no animal shall be detained on the “premises” for a longer time than “absolutely necessary” previous to slaughtering, and that the “slaughter-house” (which is only a part of the “premises”) shall not be used for “any other purpose than that for which it is licensed,” viz., killing. It follows, then, that the slaughter-house itself may not be used as a lair, and the question arises—Where shall the animals be kept, if there be no lairage? It appears to me that the existence of lairage is assumed, and that the absence of this necessary accommodation would form a reasonable cause for opposition even under the bye-laws. But whether this is so or not, I venture to think that your Vestry would be fairly entitled to oppose the renewal of a license in the case of premises so obviously defective, and that you would be fully justified in taking the opinion of the justices as to the suitability of premises for a slaughter-house to which there is no access save through a butcher’s shop or dwelling-house.

(The Vestry subsequently adopted these views. I here subjoin a synopsis of the bye-laws, which I have prepared for the guidance of the Sanitary Inspectors.)

Objects of the Bye Laws:—To regulate the conduct of the business of a slaughterer of cattle, and the structure of the premises on which such business is carried on, and the mode in which application is to be made for sanction to establish such business anew.

Definitions.—The Metropolitan Board of Works, as the “Local Authority,” is styled the “Board.” “The premises” include the Slaughter House and all the premises used for the business of a slaughterer of cattle. The “Slaughter House” means the portion of the premises used for the slaughtering and dressing of cattle. The “Occupier” means the occupier of premises where the business of a slaughterer of cattle is carried on; and “Slaughterer of cattle” means a person whose business it is to kill any kind of cattle for the purpose of its flesh being used as Butchers’ meat.

Bye-Laws as to the Structure of the Premises, (Nos. 15 to 21 inclusive.)—The slaughter house to be well paved with asphalte or flagstone set in cement, laid with a proper slope and channel towards a gulley, and effectually drained by an adequate drain of glazed pipes communicating with the public sewer. The gulley to be trapped by an appropriate trap and covered with a grating, the bars of which to be not more than ⅜ of an inch apart (16).

The inner walls of the Slaughter House to be covered with hard, smooth impervious material, to the height of four feet at the least, and to be always kept clean, and in good order, and repair (17).

No room or loft to be built by owner or occupier over any Slaughter House (20).

An adequate tank or other proper receptacle for water and water supply to be provided, and so placed that the bottom of the same shall not be less than 6 feet above the floor level (15).

The Slaughter House to be well and thoroughly ventilated (15).

No water closet, privy, cesspool, urinal, or stable to be within, or to communicate directly with the Slaughter House (19).

The occupier to cause all needful works and repairs to the premises to be forthwith done and executed, as and when the same shall become requisite, and not to make any alteration in respect of the paving, drainage, ventilation, or water supply, to, or in the premises, without the consent of the “Board” (18).

Penalties.—For breach of any of the bye-laws, 15 to 20 inclusive, whether by omission, commission, or neglect, £5; and in the case of a continuing offence, the sum of £1 for every day during which such offence is continued after a conviction for the first offence (21).

Bye-Laws as to the Conduct of the Business Nos. 1 to 14 Inclusive:—The inner walls of the Slaughter House to be always kept clean and in good order and repair; and the internal surface of the roof and upper portions of the walls to be washed with quick-lime at least once in every three months (6).

The Slaughter House to be thoroughly washed and cleansed within three hours after the slaughtering is completed (7).

A sufficient number of tubs, boxes, or vessels, formed out of proper non-absorbent materials, with tight and close fitting covers thereto, to be provided for the purpose of receiving and carrying away all manure, garbage, offal and filth, and these products to be placed in the tubs, &c., immediately after the killing and dressing of any cattle. Blood to be put into similar but separate tubs, &c., and all such tubs, &c., with their contents to be removed from the premises within 24 hours (5).

The fat of any animal slaughtered to be kept freely exposed to the air until its removal from the premises; and all such fat, and also hides, skins, and tripes to be removed within 24 hours after the slaughtering is completed (9). Carcase, bone, hide, skin, and all meat, fat, offal, blood, garbage, and other articles, to be removed before the same have become putrid or offensive (10).

Every covered and other receptacle used in the Slaughter House to be kept cleansed and purified so as to avoid any offensive smell (8).

Cattle not to be kept in the “premises” except for the time absolutely necessary previous to slaughter (1). The Slaughter House not to be used for any purpose other than that for which it is licensed; and slaughtering not to be conducted within public view (4).

No animal that is not intended or fit for human food to be slaughtered in the premises (1); and if any diseased cattle should be brought to the Slaughter House, the occupier to give information thereof, forthwith, to the “Board,” and to the cattle inspector for the district, with all particulars in his knowledge as to where, from whom, and from what place it was received (11).

No fowl, pig, or other animal used for human food (except cattle about to be slaughtered), and no dog to be kept in or about the premises (2).

No room situated over the Slaughter House to be inhabited under any pretence whatsoever (3).

All persons lawfully entitled to admission to have free access to the premises during the times of slaughter and at all reasonable hours (12).

Penalties.—For breach of any of the Bye-laws, 1 to 12 inclusive, whether by omission, commission, or neglect, £3; and in the case of a continuing offence, £1 for every day during which such offence is continued after a conviction for the first offence; and every Court of Summary Jurisdiction, having Jurisdiction to hear and decide complaints of the breach of the Bye-laws, may by Summary Order suspend or deprive any occupier of a Slaughter House altogether of the right of carrying on any such business, as a penalty for the breach of any one of these Bye-laws (13–14).

As to the mode in which Application is to be made for sanction to Establish anew the Business of a Slaughterer of Cattle.—The Applicant to furnish the “Board” with a plan of the premises and sections of the building in which it is proposed to carry on such business, drawn to a scale of a quarter of an inch to the foot, and showing the provision made, or proposed to be made, for the drainage, lighting, ventilation, and water supply of the same; and also to furnish a key plan of the locality, showing the buildings and streets within 100 yards of the premises, drawn to a scale of five feet to the mile (22).

Notes.—It is required that the Slaughter House, in respect of structure, be brought into conformity forthwith with the Bye-laws (15 to 20); when this has been done, the Bye-laws, (1 to 12), which relate to the conduct of the business, will principally engage attention. The points to which attention will have more especially to be given are those that apply to—

1. The daily and quarterly cleansing.

2. The provision and condition of impermeable and covered vessels for the reception and removal of blood, offal, &c.

3. The exposure to air of fat, and the regular removal of all parts of animals, including blood, offal and manure, before the same become putrid or offensive.

4. The exclusive use of the Slaughter House for slaughtering. (It may not be used as a lair, or as a stable, or as a cart shed).

5. The exclusion from the “premises” of fowls, pigs, dogs, &c.

6. The detention in the premises for so long only as absolutely necessary of animals about to be slaughtered. The “Occupier,” it may be added, is the party responsible for the due execution of the Bye-laws.