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At the time of the 1921 Census, more than half of the 21,493
residents lived in Purley and Woodcote. Sanderstead housed nearly
4,000 and Kenley about 2,000; Coulsdon had only some 3,300
apart from Cane Hill Hospital.
When the 1931 Census was taken, the total population had
increased to 37,666 and, whereas the number of houses in Purley
and Woodcote had only increased very slightly, the number in
Sanderstead and Coulsdon was about four times as great.
During the following eight years before the war, the rate of
building increased still further. Whereas since 1922 the average
annual increase was about 550 houses, after 1931 it reached an
average of 850, and in the peak years of 1935/36 was over 1,000
and 1,200. (The increase in size of the area during 1933 due to
the alteration of the boundaries brought in 2,547 more acres but
only about 3,000 population). As might be expected the latest
development chiefly affected Sanderstead and Coulsdon East, and
to a less extent Selsdon and Coulsdon West.
Meanwhile the average number of persons per occupied
house, the Institutions being excluded, had decreased from 3.7
in 1915 and 3.9 in 1922, to 3.24 in 1951 and 3.13 in 1957.
Since the war some 4,109 houses have been built and the
number of occupied houses has increased by at least 3,450. The
1951 Census revealed that the population was 63,770 and since
that event the number of occupied houses has increased by 2,071,
hence the present population is probably about 70,250 compared
with the 67,830 estimated by the Registrar General.
For record purposes it is wise to include here the number of
persons residing in the Institutions in the District at the end of
1957:-
Cane Hill 2,360
Netherne 1,993
Russell Hill School 226
Reedham Orphanage 260
Further, in December, 1957. the number of occupied houses
was distributed as follows :
Coulsdon East 3,442
Coulsdon West 3,205
Purley 2,692
Woodcote 1,794
Sanderstead North 2,391
Sanderstead South 3,060
Selsdon 1,916
Kenley 1,642
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