John Scurr House, Branch Road, Stepney

Officially opened in July 1937, John Scurr House was named after the Poplar councillor and former Mile End MP who had died in 1932. It contained 119 one to four-bedroom flats in two separate U-shaped blocks. After much political wrangling, it was presented as a design showpiece – a daring example of municipal modernism and an exemplar of high-quality tenement living for council tenants celebrated as ‘Stepney Council’s New Luxury Flats’  by the local press.

Accommodation comprised 119 working-class flats in two blocks, as follows: north block, 10 four  room flats, 34 three-room flats, 26 two-room flats, 14 one-room flats; south block, 6 four-room flats, 29 threé-room flats. There were also a workshop, caretaker’s store, mortuary chapel and pram shelters. The scheme was planned on six floors with an automatically controlled lift to each block and access balconies. A roof playground is provided on the north block and drying-rooms in both blocks. There are private balconies to all except twelve flats. One passenger lift serves all floors to each block; refuse (dust) chutes from all floors connect into containers on the ground floor; and hot water is supplied from boilers behind the living-room grates. There were grates with ovens over in the living-rooms. Electric power points were provided in the bedrooms instead of fireplaces.