London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Penge 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Penge]
This page requires JavaScript
STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE AREA
| Area (acres) | 770 |
| Population (Census 1931) | 25,012 |
| Population (Census 1961) | 25,743 |
| Home Population, Mid-year 1963 (estimated by Registrar-General) | 26,120 |
| Rateable Value, 1st April, 1963 | £968,585 |
| Sum represented by 1d. rate | £3,928 |
The district, situated on the north-west border of Kent, and immediately
adjoining the Counties of London and Surrey, is on the slope of a hill, the
highest point being 370 feet above sea level and the lowest 95 feet above sea
level.
The density of population per acre is 33.8, this being by far the highest in
the County of Kent. This results in there being very few open spaces in the
district, the largest one being the grounds of the Old Crystal Palace, the greater
part of which is in this area. This density of building has caused a shortage of
space for school playing fields for the schools in the districts and pupils mainly
have to go outside the area for games.
The Manager of the Employment Exchange for the area informs me
that there were approximately 263 men, 14 boys, 33 women and 7 girls, totalling
317, in the Penge area registered as unemployed at the end of the year.
VITAL STATISTICS
| Live births | 682 |
| Live birth rate per 1,000 population | 25.9 |
| Stillbirths | 11 |
| Stillbirth rate per 1,000 live and still births | 15.9 |
| Total live and still births | 693 |
| Total infant deaths | 17 |
| Infant mortality rates | |
| (1) Total infant deaths per 1,000 live births | 24.9 |
| (2) Total infant deaths per 1,000 legitimate live births | 28.2 |
| Neo-natal mortality rate per 1,000 live births | 16.1 |
| Early neo-natal mortality rate per 1,000 live births | 14.6 |
| Peri-natal mortality rate per 1,000 live and still births | 30.3 |
| Illegitimate live births per cent of the total live births | 11.7 |
| Maternal deaths (including abortion) | Nil |
| Maternal mortality rate per 1,000 total live and still births | Nil |
There were no illegitimate infant deaths during the year.