London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Battersea 1964

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]

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8
Vital Statistics.
For the purpose of standardisation, the Registrar-General's area
comparability factors, which make allowance for the way in which the
sex and age distribution of the local population differs from that of
England and Wales as a whole, have been applied to the rates for
births and deaths. The factor for births is 0.91, and for deaths 1.02.
POPULATION.
The Registrar-General's estimate of the mid-year home population
of Battersea was 102,820, which shows a decrease of 120 on the
previous year's estimated figure of 102,940. This estimate has been
adopted for the purpose of the statistics contained in this Report.
The population of the Borough at the Census taken in 1961 was
105,870 (50,620 males and 55,250 females, a proportion of 100 males
to 109 females). The present estimated population of 102,820 shows a
decrease of 3,050 (or 2.9 per cent.).
Just over a hundred years ago the population of Battersea was
estimated at 15,970, and appears to have reached its maximum density
in 1910 when it was reported to be 188,222. Since then there has been
a steady and gradual decline to its present estimated figure of 102,820.
BIRTHS.
The number of live births registered in the Borough during 1964
was 437 (216 males, 221 females). Of this number 9 were transferred
out, the permanent residence of the parents being outside the Borough
and 1,830 registered outside the Borough were transferred in, giving on
balance a total of 2,258 births (1,149 males, 1,109 females) relating to
Battersea residents, and a live birth rate of 19.98 per 1,000 population.
All the Battersea births (428 live and 5 still) which occurred within
the Borough were " domiciliary births."
Illegitimate live births numbered 325 or 14.4 per cent, of the live
births.
The live birth rate for England and Wales was 18.4.
Still-Births.
The registration of still-births is made compulsory by the Births
and Deaths Registration Act, 1953.
During 1964 there were 5 still-births registered in Battersea,
relating to Battersea parents. Thirty-five still-births occurring outside
the Borough were registered as belonging to Battersea, making 40 in all
represening a still-birth rate of 17.46 per thousand births (live and still)
registered. Of the 40 still-births 7 (17.5 per cent.) were registered as
illegitimate.

The number of Battersea still-births registered and the still-birthsrate from 1955 to 1964 were as under:—

No.RateNo.Rate
19553218.119603517.78
19564826.4219613719.93
19575127.0119624419.73
19583920.3419633815.84
19593617.4219644017.5

The still-birth rate in 1964 for England and Wales was 16.3.