London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1909
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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The following table shows the birth-rate in the several sanitary areas per 1,000 persons living
and per 100 married females aged 15-45 in the period 1904-8 and in the year 1909:—
| Sanitary area. | Births,11909 (52 weeks). | Birth-rate1 per 1,000 persons living. | Legitimate births1 per 100 married females aged 15-45. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1904-8. | 1909. | 1904-8. | 1909. | ||
| Paddington | 3,120 | 22.6 | 20.6 | 18.6 | 17.0 |
| Kensington | 3,362 | 19.5 | 18.4 | 179 | 17.0 |
| Hammersmith | 2,995 | 26.4 | 23.9 | 20.1 | 18.3 |
| Fulham | 4,307 | 29.5 | 24.5 | 19.5 | 162 |
| Chelsea | 1,391 | 21.2 | 18.5 | 18.4 | 161 |
| Westminster, City of | 2,730 | 17.3 | 16.2 | 15.5 | 14.4 |
| St. Marylebone | 2,595 | 21.0 | 20.6 | 17.7 | 17.3 |
| Hampstead | 1,328 | 16.0 | 14.1 | 14.9 | 13.1 |
| St. Pancras | 5,609 | 25.8 | 23.7 | 193 | 17.9 |
| Islington | 8,320 | 25.6 | 23.8 | 19.5 | 18.0 |
| Stoke Newington | 1,025 | 20.8 | 18.9 | 17.3 | 15.8 |
| Hackney | 5,416 | 24.8 | 22.9 | 200 | 18.5 |
| Holborn | 976 | 21.2 | 18.2 | 169 | 14.7 |
| Finsbury | 2,810 | 31.1 | 29.6 | 237 | 22.5 |
| London, City of | 247 | 14.9 | 13.6 | 16.6 | 15.5 |
| Shoreditch | 3,632 | 33 .0 | 31.7 | 25.4 | 24.5 |
| Bethnal Green | 4,132 | 33.7 | 31.6 | 26.5 | 24.7 |
| Stepney | 9,506 | 34.5 | 30.5 | 26.8 | 23.7 |
| Poplar | 5,192 | 32.0 | 30.3 | 25.2 | 23.8 |
| Southwark | 5,969 | 30.4 | 28.3 | 22.2 | 20.8 |
| Bermondsey | 4,104 | 32.5 | 32.3 | 25.7 | 25.5 |
| Lambeth | 7,578 | 25.8 | 23.4 | 19.6 | 17.8 |
| Battersea | 4,447 | 26.8 | 240 | 19.3 | 17.3 |
| Wandsworth | 7,005 | 26.0 | 23.6 | 20.6 | 18.7 |
| Camberwell | 6,689 | 25.5 | 23.7 | 20.4 | 19.0 |
| Deptford | 3,117 | 28.6 | 26.4 | 21.5 | 19.9 |
| Greenwich | 2,481 | 24.7 | 22.4 | 20.4 | 18.5 |
| Lewisham | 3,529 | 24.2 | 22.0 | 19.3 | 17.5 |
| Woolwich | 2,947 | 26.9 | 22.2 | 19.8 | 16.2 |
It will be seen from the above table that the birth-rates of the several sanitary districts vary
greatly, ranging from 13.1 in Hampstead to 25.5 in Bermondsey, when the rates for the year 1909,
based on the number of married females, are compared.
It will be seen on reference to Diagram IV. that the birth-rate per 1,000 persons living varies
directly with the social condition of the population. The diagram is based upon the number of births
per 1,000 living, without any correction for such disturbing factors as differences in the age and sex
constitution of the population ; in the proportion of women married ; and in the fertility of marriage.
The Registrar-General has compared the birth-rate of London, in 1870-2 with that of subsequent
periods, showing these rates calculated on the total population, and also on the female
population aged 15-45 years, and further has compared the rates, for the same periods, of
legitimate births calculated on the married female population, and of illegitimate births calculated
on the unmarried and widowed female population aged 15-45 years. When compared with the
birth-rate in 1870-2, the birth-rate of 1909 has decreased by 31.2 per cent. when calculated on the
total population, and 34.1 per cent. when calculated on the female population aged 15-45 years; the
legitimate birth-rate has declined 29.5 per cent. when calculated on the married female population
aged 15-45 years; and the illegitimate birth-rate has declined 46.6 per cent. when calculated on the
unmarried and widowed female population of that age period.
Fertility and social condition.
It is a generally accepted fact that the fertility of married women decreases with age, and a
comparison of the fertility rates of different sections of a community is affected to some extent by the
differences in the age-constitution of the married women populations. Among married women in
1 See footnote (1) page 6.