The Artisans Dwelling Act

The Artisans Dwelling Act had been passed in 1875, but it took until 1877 before Wolverhampton applied to Parliament to enable the Borough to adopt the Act. In 1875, Mr. Major, who was Chairman of the Health Committee, became Mayor. He instructed Dr. Love, the Medical Officer of Health, to make a report on the state of the worst parts of the Borough.

The report stated that the whole of the area on the eastern side of St. Peter’s Church, from Queen Square to the bottom of Broad Street (then Canal Street), including the streets, courtyards and alleyways was in an unsanitary condition. The area of about 12 acres contained 666 houses with a population of 3,385 inhabitants. There were many dilapidated back-to-back dwellings, without ventilation, that were unfit for human habitation. The death rate in that area was one percent higher than in other parts of the town. The report also stated that if typhoid or smallpox should break-out in this area, it could quickly spread to other parts of the town.

The council agreed to adopt the Artisans Dwelling Act on the 7th August 1876. The Act was put into force in the town in 1877 and it was estimated that the cost of carrying out the provisions in the Act, would amount to £162,000. A large number of properties would have to be demolished and the owners compensated. The amount of compensation was decided by Mr. T. J. Barnett who was appointed as valuer to the Corporation. Many owners tried to claim excessive sums of money for their property, and so terms had to be reached by a special jury, under the presidency of the Clerk of the Peace for the Country of Stafford. The jury decided on the amount of compensation to be given. The whole process took a long time to complete.

Most of the houses in Lichfield Street, Canal Street, Stafford Street and the surrounding area were demolished and the land was resold. It took about 23 years to complete the scheme, which cost a total of £228,237 instead of the £162,000 originally estimated.

Slums in North Street.

Slums in North Street.