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15
Thus, if I take a number of tenements with an average of three
persons per room, I find that to-
6 persons in 2 rooms is generally 6 persons in one room at night.
9 ,, 3 ,, 3.5 „ ,,
12 ,, 4 „ 4 ,, „
15 ,, 5 ,, 3.75 „ ,,
Islington, therefore, stands in a distinctly unfavourable position as
regards overcrowding.
In Table IX. I have calculated the percentage proportion of the
population that dwell in the overcrowded tenements of the several
districts which I have taken for comparative purposes. From this table I
find that nearly nine per cent. (8.94) of our Parishioners are housed in
two-roomed tenements, compared with 4.42 per cent. in the Urban and
2.48 in the Rural Districts. I notice, too, that the percentage is 1.14
higher than the London rate. Taken altogether, the facts exhibited
in Table IX. are unsatisfactory, for in its last column is disclosed the
fact that as much as 20.24 per cent. of the local population dwell in
overcrowded tenements (1-4 rooms). This is 7.93 per cent. higher
than the Urban Districts' percentage (12.31), and 11.78 higher than
that (8.46) of the Rural. It was also 0.65 higher than the percentage
(19.59) of London.
These are not all the facts to be brought out by a study of these
statistics as to overcrowding, and I therefore recommend their study
to every person who is interested in the housing of the people.
Personally I did not expect when I commenced a study of the
census returns to find that Islington compared so unfavourably with
other places in the lodgment of its inhabitants. The light now thrown
on this question naturally brings with it new responsibilities in seeing
that the large overcrowded population is adequately cared for, and
placed under the best possible Sanitary conditions.
AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION OF THE POPULATION.
In the estimation of the value of death-rates, the age, and to
a lesser extent the sex, distribution of the population is of value, as
will be seen when I come to discuss the mortality of the Parish.