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
Paddington 1901
Report on the vital statistics and sanitary work for the year 1901
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OCCUPANCY OF HOMES.
5
OCCUPANCY OF HOMES.
Whilst the statistics of "inhabited houses" are not so accurate as could be wished, those of
"homes" or tenements* appear to be otherwise. Each occupier of a separate home was required to
state the number of rooms rented by him if his home contained less than five rooms. There may
have been some doubt as to what should be included under the term "room," and possibly rooms
utterly unsuited for habitation have been occasionally included. With this exception, the
figures appear to be such as can be dealt with at some length with advantage.
In 1891 the 13,221 inhabited houses enumerated in the Parish contained 27,201 homes, of which
17,208 contained less than five rooms. In other words, 63.2 per cent. of the homes at that date
contained from one to four rooms only. At the last Census the percentage of homes with less than
five rooms was 64.8. It cannot be definitely stated, but it is probable that this increase (1.6 per
cent.) is due to the addition of Queen's Park Ward.†
In 1891 there resided in the 17,208 homes of less than five rooms 58,098 persons, equal to
50.7 per cent. of the total population. In 1901 the percentage was 49.1, a reduction of 1.6 per
cent.
The chief returns for each class of home were as follow:—
| Homes of one room | 1891 | No. of homes, 4,785 | No. of inhabitants, 9,676= 8 2 per cent, total population. |
| 1901 | „ 5,035 | „ 9,233= 6.4 „ „ | |
| Homes of two rooms | 1891 | „ 5,537 | „ 19,589=16.6 „ „ |
| 1901 | „ 6,668 | „ 22,596=15.6 „ „ | |
| Homes of three rooms | 1891 | ,, 4,858 | „ 19,009=16.1 „ „ |
| 1901 | „ 6,548 | „ 24,933=17.3 „ „ | |
| Homes of four rooms | 1891 | „ 2,028 | „ 9,824= 8.3 „ „ |
| 1901 | „ 3,564 | „ 16,470=11.3 „ „ |
There were therefore slight, but so far satisfactory, reductions in the proportions of the
inhabitants residing in homes of one and two rooms, and increases in those of the inhabitants
residing in homes of three and four rooms. How these results have been obtained cannot be stated
until details have been procured as to the Sub-Districts and Wards.
Moreover, not only have there been these changes in the proportions residing in each class of home, but there have been reductions in the average numbers residing in each home. This will be evident from a perusal of the following statement:—
| Homes of one room | 1891. | Average No. of inhabitants per home 2 02 per room 2.02 |
| 1901. | „ „ 1.83 „ 1.83 | |
| Homes of two rooms | 1891. | „ „ 3.53 „ 1.76 |
| 1901. | „ „ 3.38 „ 1.69 | |
| Homes of three rooms | 1891. | „ „ 3.91 „ 1.30 |
| 1901. | „ „ 3.80 „ 1.26 | |
| Homes of four rooms | 1891. | „ „ 4.84 „ 1.21 |
| 1901. | „ „ 4.62 „ 1.15 |