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

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London County Council 1897

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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and 1891. There appears, therefore, to be a tendency to diminution of the population throughout the
district, except in the more outlying part.

The following table gives the number of inhabited houses and persons, as well as the acreage of each sub-district and of the entire area of Clerkenwell: —

Acres.Inhabited houses.Population.
1861.1871.1881.1891.1896.1861.1871.1881.1891.1896.
St. James731,9281,7841,9301,2811,21819,15218,91717,51616,80315,777
Am well831,6971,5801,6311,6521,46617,25016,88419,28116,88316,640
Pentonville68½1,5741,5731,6141,5043,48613,07913,29314,74616,83717,361
which includes a detached part64½ (8554614427318355
Goswell-street911,8891,8891,9241,8251,67916,20016,24217,50615,37516,069
3807,0886,8347,1046,3165,91065,68165,38069,07666,21666,202

The average number of persons to each inhabited house has increased from 9 2 in 1861 to 10"4
in 1891 and to 112 in 1896. In London in 1891 the corresponding number was 7'7. A considerable
proportion of the inhabited houses in Clerkenwell in 1891 were let in tenements, 62 per cent, of which
consisted of one and two rooms, 17.6 per cent, of the population living in single rooms, and 321 per
cent, in two rooms.
The population largely consists of persons of the working class and shopkeepers, together with
a small proportion of persons fairly well off living in the squares and better class streets in their
neighbourhood. At one time the working class in this district was largely engaged in the watch and
jewellery trades, and this still appears to be the case, for although in the greater number of workshops
which were visited during the inspection other trades were being carried on, yet the watch and
jewellery trades were more frequently met with than any other.
Of the total population in 1891, 32,751 or 49.5 per cent, were males and 33,465 or 50.5 per
cent, were females, as compared with 47.3 per cent, males and 52.7 per cent, females in London
generally. In 1896 the male population in Clerkenwell exceeded the female, there being 33,223, or
50.2 per cent, males, and 32,979, or 49.8 per cent, females.

The age constitution of the population in 1891 was as follows—-

Age period.0-5-10-15-20-25-35-45-55-65-75-
Clerkenwell—
Males per oent. of population6.215.725.135.024.898.306.244.372.361.010.21
Females per cent, of population6.405.535.124.954.858.126.374.732.761.310.40
London—
Males per cent, of population5.925.364.904.694.617.925.854.112.351.200.37
Females per cent, of population5995.424.995.215.569.116.494.642.921.72069

According to these figures, in Clerkenwell, as compared with London, there was a greater
proportion of both sexes up to 15 years of age, a greater proportion of the male sex between 15—65
vears. and a smaller proportion of the female sex between these ages.

In the following table rates of births and deaths per 1,000 are given of both Clerkenwell and London since 1891. The general death rates have been corrected for age and sex distribution.

Year.Clerkenwell.London.
Births.Deaths all causes.Zymotic deaths.Infantile mortality per 1,000 births.Births.Deaths all causes.Zymotic deaths.Infantile mortality per 1,000 births.
189133.327.84.3517031.822.42.27153
189232.927.22.8617230.921.62.80154
189331.929.24.8320231.022.43.04163
189433.020.82.6314530.118.62.65143
189531.525.03.8019230.620.82.62165
All the death rates in Clerkenwell are markedly greater than in London generally.