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3.
1. STATISTICS & SOCIAL CONDITIONS
OF THE AREA.
General Information;
Stepney is situated on the North bank of the Thames,
having a river frontage of 2.39 miles. It is roughlyrectangular
in shape, its length being 2.3 miles and breadth
varying from 1 to1½ miles, with 90 miles of streets. The
acreage is 1,902 of ' vfrtich ' the river accounts for 136 acres
and the inland water, consisting of docks and canals, 75
acres. The height above sea level varies from 8-feet at the
dock side to 45-feet in the.northern part of the Borough.
A considerable part of the Borough consists of made up
ground to a depth of 8 to 10-feet, clay being reached at
depths varying from 12 to 25-feet.
The area is to a large extent industrial in character,
factory premises being spread throughout the borough but
concentrated somewhat towards the western end, apart from
the docks and wharves on the river frontage. The chief
industries carried on besides those associated with docks
and wharves are the manufacture of clothing of all kinds,
brewing, cigarette making, furniture and upholstery manufacture
and motor vehicle repairs, (See Tc.ble on pp.57 & 58).
Population.
The fifteenth census of the population of England and
Wales, taken on 8th April 1951, revealed that Stepney's
population is 98,581.
The Registrar-General's mid-year estimate for 1951 is
98,850, viz. 269 more than the census figure, whilst the
estimate for mid-year 1950 was 99,730, i.e. 880 more than
the 1951 estimate. The census figures show that the ratio
of males to females in Stepney is 1,000 to 1,028, compared
with London as a whole where the ratio is 1,000 to 1,135.
The density of population is now 55.8 persons per acre,
and in the previous census year -1931- was 127.5 persons
per acre.
Births.
The total number of live births registered in the Borough
during the year was 3,671,of which1,998 belonged to other
areas. In addition, 173 births belonging to Stepney occurred
outside the Borough, making a total of 1,846 births
(949 male and 897 female) to Stepney residents. 3,273 births