Housing shortage 1919

Here are two articles from the summer of 1919 in which the Parish Council discuss the question of housing provision by the District Council to villages including Belton and Hathern. Mr. S. Henson described instances of overcrowding (notably 14 people in one house) but Mr. Hunt thought that even if new houses were built no-one would be prepared to pay the increased rent of at least seven shillings and sixpence (‘no more half-crown houses’) when they could live in Loughborough with ‘all the comforts of town and that’. In the second meeting it was resolved that ‘It is not advisable to build houses in the parish under the Government scheme’. The other issue discussed was the perceived need to attract new business to the village. 

Maybe this was the large family referred to – from the 1911 census at 8 Golden Square:-

SPENCER, Walter Head Married 22Y (15/15) M 44 1867 F W K Hosiery (home) Hathern

SPENCER, Charlotte Elizabeth Wife Married F 42 1869 F W K Hosiery (home) Hathern

SPENCER, Carrie Elizabeth Daughter Single F 19 1892 Hathern

SPENCER, Nellie Daughter Single F 17 1894 Factory Hand Hosiery Hathern

SPENCER, Ethel May Daughter F 14 1897 Factory Hand Hosiery Hathern

SPENCER, Fredrick Robert Son M 13 1898 School Hathern

SPENCER, Agnes Gertrude Grace Daughter F 11 1900 School Hathern

SPENCER, Maurice Malcolm Victor Son M 10 1901 School Hathern

SPENCER, Norah Kathleen Daughter F 8 1903 School Hathern

SPENCER, Richard Peter Son M 6 1905 School Hathern

SPENCER, John Charles Son M 5 1906 School Hathern

SPENCER, Walter Edmund Son M 3 1908 Hathern

SPENCER, David Albert Son M 2 1909 Hathern

SPENCER, Sidney Edward Arthur Son M 0 1911 Hathern

SPENCER, Constance Muriel Daughter F 0 1911 Hathern Leics