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122
In the nature of things the material growth of the parish must
cease ere many years, and there will be an arrest to the growth of
population, as there will be no room for additional houses ; but
property in some parts of the parish will probably continue to
increase hi value long after the population shall have become
comparatively stationary. Even now the rateable value has
attained such proportions as to be exceeded by that of the cities of
London, Liverpool, Manchester, and Bristol only. The population
of Kensington is to that of London about 1 to 23J and the
rateable value 1 to 16J.
MARRIAGES AND MARRIAGE RATE.
The marriages in 1884 were 1,498, and 116 fewer than in 1888.
Of these there were; celebrated—
By the Church (75'5 per cent, of total marriages) - 1,134
At Roman Catholic places of worship - - 142
At other Nonconformist places of worship - 44
At the Superintendent Registrar's Office - - 178
Total 1,498
The marriage rate, i.e., persons married per 1,000 of the
population, was 17.6. The marriage rate in the country generally
was 15.3 per 1,000—against 14.4, 14.9, 15.1, 15.4, and 15.4
in the five preceding years; the rate declined steadily from
17.6 in 1873 to 14.4 in 1879, which was lower than in any
previous year on record: since 1879 the recovery has been slow,
but, until 1883, continuous. The marriage rate in London, in
1884, was 17.6, the lowest rate as yet recorded: the rate
reached its highest point in 1865, when it was 22.3 per 1,000.
BIRTHS AND BIRTH RATE.
The births of 4,394 children were registered in 1884; males,
2,246; females, 2,148: 3,493 in the Town sub-district, and 901