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10
When considering generally the question of London migration since 1841, various factors
influencing population should be taken into account, such as changes in the county boundaries
and fluctuations in the birth and death rates during the period, since all these react on the amount
of the migration. In 1841, the metropolis, as it was then called by the Registrar-General, was
composed of parishes and districts, the metropolitan boroughs not yet being in existence. It
included Penge and Clerkenwell detached, which were taken from London, and excluded South
Hornsey, which was added under the Local Government Act of 1890. The population statistics
given here relate to the area comprising the present administrative county as defined by the
Act, which since the year 1899 has not altered to any appreciable extent.
During the period 1841-51, the birth rate was 31.6 and the death rate 24.8. The former
then steadily increased reaching a maximum of 35.4 in the period 1801-71, after which there
was a steady decrease except for a few years following the Great War; in 1931 the birth rate
had fallen to 14.9. On the other hand the death rate has gradually decreased from 24.8 during
the ten years 1841-51 to 12.3 in the year 1931. Both rates are, therefore, now only about onehalf
of what they were in 1841.
As a result of arising birth rate and immigration, the population of London increased from
1,949,277 in 1841 to a census maximum of 4,530,207 in 1901, the peak being attained about
1897 ; since then, however, on account of a falling birth rate and emigration, it has
gradually decreased, until in 1931 the London population was only 4,397,003 persons.
With regard to migration, it will be seen from the following table that the period 1841-1931
can be divided into two portions. During the first period, from 1841 to 1881, there was a net
movement into the county; in the second, since 1881, soon after the birth rate had reached
its maximum, there has been a net movement out. The influx of children under 15 and of adults
of both sexes at the marriageable ages during the first period gives some indication of the rapid
growth of London between the years 1841 and 1881. The second period coincides with the
expansion of the outer ring of suburbs outside the county boundaries, which was greatest in the
two decennia 1901-11 and 1921-31, i.e., the periods immediately before and after that of the
Great War.

* Excludes 74,000 war losses.
It will be observed that the rate of outflow of population from the county attained a
maximum during the period 1901-11 when it almost equalled the rate of inflow during the
years 1841-51 ; while on the other hand the increase in population of the outer ring was greatest
in the period 1921-31. The more rapid growth of the latter during the post-war period has
in fact been due to two movements, one out of the county and the other mainly inward from
the depressed industrial districts of the north of England and of south Wales.
Referring to table 10, it is seen that there has been a definite movement out of infants,children
of school age and adults of both sexes over age 25 since 1801, representing the family " trek "
to the outer suburbs. Prior to that year expansion outside the metropolitan area had hardly
commenced. This movement became most noticeable after 1881 when, as has been shown
above, the total movement in changed to a movement out, denoting that expansion within the
area had then ceased.
At each intercensal period there has also been apparently a significant influx of young people
of both sexes between ages 15 and 20, and, to a lesser extent, between ages 20 and 25, except, it will
be seen, in the case of males during the periods 1901-11 and 1911-21. Generally speaking, it can
be assumed that this influx represents young persons seeking employment on leaving school
as clerks, teachers, shop assistants and factory hands and, in addition, in the case of females,
as nurses and domestic servants.