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1909]
Vl
MARRIAGES.
Only 5,53S persons, or 15.77 per 1000 of the population, were married
during the year, which is 24 less than in the preceding year. This decrease
can, however, be accounted for by the fact that there were 53 weeks in the
statistical year 1908. Nevertheless the number is 4G5 less than the average
of the ten years 1899-1908. Ever since 1899 there has been annually a gradual
decrease in the marriages, so that the difference between those registered in
that year and in 1909 is 970, while the marriage rate has fallen from 19.35
per 1000 of the population to 15.77. No doubt there is a cause for this. At
one time it used to be said that the price of wheat influenced the number of
marriages, and attention was regularly drawn to it by the Registrar-General,
who tabulated the prices per quarter. Now, however, no one pretends that
this is so, and, indeed, in the introductory letter to the Registrar-General in his
report for 1908, Dr. T. H. C. Stevenson says that "In previous reports it has
been pointed out that although it was possible many years ago to trace some
correspondence between the fluctuations of the marriage rate and the fluctuations
in the price of wheat, in more recent years the figures show no such
parallelism. It will be seen, however, that in recent years the fluctuations of
the marriage-rate show some correspondence with the fluctuations of exports
and of employment. In other words, the alternating periods of commercial
prosperity and depression have some effect on the increase and decrease in the
proportion of marriages. For example, the rise in the marriage-rate in the
years 1906 and 1907 correspond to a rise in the value of exports and in the
amount of employment while the considerable fall that took place in the
marriage-rate in the year 1908 correspond to a reduction in exports and a
high proportion of unemployed."
There is no doubt that employment has a great effect on the marriagerate,
for reasons which are too apparent to need discussion, and no doubt
scarcity of work has had some effect in Islington, as elsewhere.
It must not be forgotten, and it cannot be denied, that not only is marriage
now delayed, particularly by the middle and upper middle classes, to a later
period in life than formerly, but that the young men of the present day of these
classes are selfishly postponing marriage, so that they themselves may live in a
more luxurious manner; that they may have more amusements; and that they
may spend more money on holidays. If they attempted to save money, so that
later on they might marry more comfortably, much might be forgiven them,
but, unfortunately, it is very doubtful if this is the case. They seek pleasure