London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1902
Annual report on the health, sanitary condition, etc., etc., of the Royal Borough of Kensington for the year1902
This page requires JavaScript
The registered deaths under one year of age were 506, and located as follows :—
| Locality. | Sex. | Total. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male. | Female. | |||
| The Borough | 289 | 217 | 506 | |
| Sub-Districts— | ||||
| Kensington Town | 256 | 183 | 439 | |
| Brompton | 33 | 34 | 67 | |
| Parliamentary Divisions— | ||||
| North Kensington | 226 | 159 | 385 | |
| South Kensington | 63 | 58 | 121 | |
| Wards— | ||||
| North K. | St. Charles | 56 | 32 | 88 |
| Golborne | 74 | 45 | 119 | |
| Norland | 67 | 60 | 127 | |
| Pembridge | 29 | 22 | 51 | |
| South K. | Holland | 18 | 16 | 34 |
| Earl's Court | 19 | 8 | 27 | |
| Queen's Gate | 8 | 6 | 14 | |
| Redcliff | 12 | 14 | 26 | |
| Brompton | 6 | 14 | 20 | |
Of the 506 deaths under one year, 54 were of illegitimate children, including six which had
been registered as legitimate, all in North Kensington.
The number of mothers interviewed in the course of the inquiry was 257.*
The ages at death were as follows:—
| Sex. | Under One Month. | 1-2. | 2-3. | 4-4. | 4-5. | 6-6. | 6-7. | 7-8. | 8-9. | 9-10. | 10-11. | 11-12. | Month.TOTAL. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st wk. | 2nd wk. | 3rdwk. | 4thwk. | ||||||||||||||
| Males | 62 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 19 | 21 | 16 | 21 | 22 | 14 | 20 | 20 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 289 | |
| Females | 39 | 17 | 6 | 17 | 9 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 217 | |
| 101 | 28 | 19 | 80 | 28 | 41 | 36 | 36 | 31 | 24 | 28 | 34 | 23 | 26 | 21 | 506 | ||
It thus appears that 178 (=35.2 per cent.) of the deaths occurred within a period of four
weeks after birth.
The causes of death in the several wards are set out in the table at page 64.
The position in life of the male parent, as registered, was as follows :—
No. of Cases.
Labourer 132
Artizan 91
Coachman, Cabman, Carman 60
Tradesman 36
Porter 13
Clerk 9
Horsekeeper, Stableman 8
Hawker 6
" Dealer" 5
Cellarman 4
Milkman 4
Street Musician 4
Potman 3
" Agent," House Agent 3
Scavenger, Flower-seller, Fireman, Police-constable, Postman, Soldier,
Sailor, Company Manager, Gas Stoker, Chaff Cutter, Commercial
Traveller, Shipbroker, Chef, Butler, Artist, "Valet, Engineer (two each) 34
Organ-grinder, Omnibus Conductor, Chair-fee Collector, Canvasser, Lamplighter,
Waiter, Lift-man, Chimney-sweep, Accountant, M.R.C.S.,
Cab Proprietor, Lodging-house Keeper, Dentist, Secretary, Actor,
Solicitor, Park-keeper, Turncock, Chemist, Lieutenant R.N., Gardener,
Photographer, Piano-tuner, Mineral Water Bottler (one each) 24
Independent means 3
* In 36 instances no information was obtainable, the name being unknown at the registered address, or the parents having
removed to another abode. No information was sought in 139 cases. There were nine instances of twin-births, and one of triplets.