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births. 3
BIRTHS.
In the 52 weeks taken as the statistical year 2,895 births were registered in the Borough,
254 fewer than in 1908 (53 weeks). The uncorrected birth-rate was 19.11 per 1,000 persons
in 1909 as compared with 20.58 in 1908 (due allowance being made for the extra week).
The average annual number of births during the ten years 1889-1908 was 3,264, and the birth
rate 22.24 (Table I., Appendix,). Last year's figures indicate a decline in the number
of births of 364 and in the rate, of 3.13 per 1,000. In 1899 the rate, even then the lowest on
record, was 24.22 per 1,000, or more than 5 per 1,000 above that of last year.
The 2,895 births comprised 1,481 births of boys and 1,414 of girls, of whom 103
(58 boys and 45 girls) were dead when their births were registered. The children dying
before registration of their births constituted 3.5 per cent. of all children born in the Borough,
the proportion in 1908 having been 3.3 per cent. There were 27 twin births registered, 7 of
males, 9 of females and 11 of mixed sexes. Three sets of twins and four other children of twin
births died at or very shortly after birth. The births in the Workhouse Lying-in Wards
numbered 77, 18 of the children being born to non-resident parents. The total number of
children born in the Borough to non-resident parents was 62, while 198 births of children
of residents were reported from other parts of the Metropolis.. The corrected number of
births is, therefore, 3,031, equal to a rate of 20.01 per 1,000 persons, or 1.47 less than the rate
for 1908, and nearly 1 per 1,000 less than that for 1906. It will be seen from Table 2 that
the rates in all the Wards, except Church and Hvde Park, were below those for 1908.
According to the figures published in the Quarterly Reports of the Registrar-General
(Table 3), the local rate was 19.04 last year, or 2.18 less than the quinquennial average,
decreases being recorded in the whole Metropolis and in each of the districts circumjacent
to the Borough. The greatest decrease (3.88 per 1,000) was recorded in Willesden. Rates
based on the estimated numbers of women of child-bearing ages (15 to 45 years) are given
in both the tables mentioned, but those figures are included for the sake of continuity
rather than for the value which is thought to belong to them.
Illegitimate Births.—The 2,895 births registered within the Borough included 143 of
illegitimate children (70 boys and 73 girls), of whom 48 were born in the Workhouse.
In 1908 the illegitimate births numbered 149, and in 1907 123. Five of the 149 children were
dead at the date of registration of their births (equal to 3.5 per cent.). Twenty-two (22)
children were born to non-resident mothers, while 19 others were born to resident mothers in
outside districts. The nett total of such births during the year was, therefore, 140, as
compared with 151 in 1908 and 134 in 1907. Last year's total formed 4.6 per cent. of the
total births (corrected for non-residents, etc.), the proportions in 1908 and 1907 having been
4.5 and 4.0 respectively. In four out of the eight Wards the proportions of illegitimate births
were higher last year than in 1908 (see Table 2), the most notable increase being recorded in
Lancaster Gate West, Ward, where the proportions rose from 7.3 per cent. in 1908 to 11.1
last year.
* Of the 198 children, 191 were born in Queen Charlotte's Hospital, 3 in other Maternity Hospitals and 4 at
private addresses.