London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Mile End 1856
Report of the Medical Officer of Health to the Vestry of Mile End Old Town
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great Metropolis. The population has, according to the census tables,
increased, from 9,848 persons, in 1801, to 56,602 persons, in 1851.
The subjoined Table shows the rate of decennial increase.
| 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 |
| 9,848 | 14,465 | 22,876 | 33,898 | 45,308 | 56,602 |
DENSITY OF POPULATION. The density of the population differs considerably in the five wards, as also the area contained within their limits. The following Table will show, in whole numbers, the area, the number of houses, the number of inhabitants, and the proportion of persons to the acre in each Ward :—
| WARD. | Area in Acres. | Houses inhabited. | Persons. | Number of Persons to the Acre. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.—North | 162½ | 1998 | 12,188 | 75 |
| 2.—East | 193 | 1125 | 7,262 | 37 |
| 3—West | 78 | 1920 | 11,712 | 150 |
| 4.—Centre | 135½ | 2750 | 16,775 | 124 |
| 5.—South | 113 | 2215 | 13,511 | 119 |
| TOTAL | 681 | 10,008 | 61,448 |
The areas have been obtained by calculation from the Ordnance
Sheets—the number of houses from the poor-rate books—and the
population of each ward by multiplying the number of houses occupied
by the average number of occupiers, viz. : 61. Large open
spaces, to the extent of upwards of 150 acres, are found in the North,
East and Centre Wards; some of them are cultivated for market
produce—others for grazing—while some are intended and plotted out
for building purposes, but at present not covcred.