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10
1906]
"In seeking for suitable areas for my investigations I was driven to adopt
the enumeration districts that were defined when the census was last taken,
for about them alone could particulars be obtained; although I am bound to
state that they do not altogether meet my requirements, for many of them are
ill-defined, badly planned, and of extraordinary contours. An examination of
the map* which I have laid before you will fully bear out this statement
Nevertheless I have been able to extract from the returns concerning these
areas particulars which are of the greatest importance, and were most useful
in the preparation of this report.
"For the purposes of the census the borough was divided into 271 Enumeration
Areas, each of which contained, on an average, 1,235 persons. The averages
varied, however, in the several registration sub-districts. Upper Holloway was
divided into 66 areas, each with an average population of 1,513; Lower
Holloway into 36 areas, each with an average population of 1,150; Barnsbury
into 54 areas, each with an average population of 1,008; Islington South East
into 70 areas, each with an average population of 1,077; and Highbury into
45 areas, each with an average population of 1,417.
"From the returns relating to each area, I have abstracted the number of
tenements containing less than five rooms, together with the number of persons
residing in them. I have also after a long—though fortunately not difficult—
process ascertained the number of these tenements that are " overcrowded,"
by which term I am to be understood to mean overcrowded according to the
dictum of the Registrar-General †; and from the figures thus obtained I have
calculated the percentage number of tenements that are overcrowded, as well
as the percentage number of persons living under overcrowded conditions;
and lastly I have abstracted the ages of these persons at four periods of
life. It is much to be regretted, however, that the ages of children between 5
and 10 were not available, as they are very material factors in deciding the
question of overcrowding, because every two children under that age only
count as one person, a circumstance which seems to have been either
entirely forgotten or else ignored by the Registrar General. The result of
this omission is that I have been compelled to use his method, and to make
my calculations as if the persons were all adults. It may be stated, however,
that a fairly accurate estimate of the number of children under ten years of
age may be obtained by halving the number of persons betweeen 5 and
* This Map may be seen in the Medical Officer of Health's office.
† "Ordinary tenements which have more than two occupants per room, bed rooms and sitting
rooms included, may be safely considered as overcrowded," Census General Report, 1891.