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It must be admitted, however, that while in 1876 the rate of
mortality in the Metropolis as a whole, and in the several groups
of districts, exhibits a decline as compared with that of the preceding
year, the rate in Kensington was stationary, and this was due
to the prevalence of certain infantile diseases of the zymotic class,
viz., measles, whooping cough, and diarrhoea, the deaths from these
diseases in 1876 having exceeded the number registered in 1875
by one hundred and forty-one; thus accounting, moreover, for the
increase in the number of deaths from the seven principal zymotic
diseases, from 372 in 1875 to 498 in 1876. The death-rate from
these diseases, nevertheless (3.3 per 1,000 persons living), was
only .1 per 1,000 above the decennial average (3.2.)
Registration Sub-Districts.—"Kensington"* parish is divided
for registration purposes into two sub-districts of unequal size,
the northern and largest of which, "Kensington Town," comprises
an area of 1,497 acres, and an estimated population at the middle of
the year of 110,000. The "Brompton" sub-district has an area
of 639 acres, and an estimated population of 38,000. A considerable
portion of the parish is still open ground; but building operations
are proceeding rapidly, though not during the past year
at the extraordinary rate of the immediately preceding years.
Thus the new houses brought into rating in the year ended July,
1876, were only 504 as against 777 in the preceding year.
The Brompton sub-district, however, has become the centre of
greatest building activity, and the houses erected in South Kensington,
Earl's Court, &c., are large and of a superior character,
mainly designed for the well-to-do classes.
* "Kensington" is the title of a registration district, which includes the parishes
of Paddington, Fulham, and Hammersmith. The subjoined figures shew the relative
proportions of Kensington parish, and the other parishes comprised in the registration
district of Kensington:—
Area in statute acres. Inhabited houses, Population,
1871. 1871.
Kensington 2,190 15,735 120,299
Paddington 1,251 11,847 96,813
Hammersmith 2,287 6,719 42,691
Fulham 1,716 3,469 23,350