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Compared therefore with the population of London as a whole, the population of St. Saviour,
Southwark, is poor.
The following table shows that, while the population had increased in each successive census
year, from 1831 to 1861, it has since the latter year diminished, so that the population in 1891 is
actually smaller than in 1831.

It will be observed that while the population slightly increased in the decade 1841-51, the
number of inhabited houses decreased, and this decrease is attributed in the census report for the
year 1851, to the removal of many families to the suburbs, especially after the severe visitation of cholera
in 1849. House property, the report states, had consequently depreciated, and private houses formerly
occupied by single families were in many instances let out in rooms to the poorer classes. This no
doubt more than compensated for the removal of families to the suburbs.
Again, the census report of 1861 comments on the fact that since 1851 in St. Saviour, many
houses had been pulled down to the ground, cleared for the purpose of forming the new street from
High-street, Borough, to Stamford-street. And again, in 1871, the census report of that year states
that the decrease in the parishes of Christchurch and St. Saviour, Southwark, is attributed to the
demolition of houses for the construction of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway and the
Charing-cross extension of the South Eastern Railway, for the formation of the new Southwark-street,
and the erection of business premises.
In the last decade there has been a slight increase in the number of houses owing to building
on part of the land which had been cleared, but the total effect of these changes has been that the
district of St. Saviour has practically had its population reduced almost to that which it possessed in
the year 1811, when the population numbered 26,399.
Another point which deserves notice is that while the number of persons to each inhabited house
had increased in almost each census year from 1831 to 1881, it was diminished in 1891, this circumstance
probably finding explanation in the fact that a larger proportion of the inhabited houses are now used
for trade purposes.
The number of empty houses in each census year was as follows—
1831 326
1841 182
1851 244
1861 204
1871 148
1881 208
1891 431
The census of 1891 gives a table as to the occupation in the London sanitary districts of tenements
of less than four rooms, and from this it is learnt that 42.7 per cent. of the population of St.
Saviour occupy one and two room tenements, the average number of persons per room in this class of
tenement being 2.12.

showing a marked preponderance of males in St. Saviour, Southwark. This may be in part explained
by the existence of the Christchurch workhouse, which is licensed by the Local Government Board for
475 inmates, and which, I am informed by Dr. Herron, the Medical Officer of Health of the district,
provides accommodation for four married couples, but is otherwise entirely occupied by males. Again,
the Lost Boys' Home in Southwark-street, and which has accommodation for 120 boys, contributes to
the excess of males in the district. It will, however, be seen from the following table that this excess
is not limited to any particular age periods, but is present in each age-period except that of from 0-5
years.