London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Bermondsey 1912

Report on the sanitary condition of the Borough of Bermondsey for the year 1912

This page requires JavaScript

The decrease is partly due to the increased facilities of transit, leading to a tendency on
the part of the population of this, as well as other central boroughs, to seek residence further out.
This is an object to be desired, since it is beneficial alike to those going and those remaining, for
only in this way can sufficient space be provided round houses and overcrowding on large areas be
avoided. If the demand for slum property ceased it would soon lead to its abolition. Another cause
of decrease is the replacement of small house property by factories and warehouses as soon as the
leases fail in. This cause is slow but steady and will gradually displace the population towards
the periphery of the metropolis.
Births.
The total number of births registered in the Borough for the 52 weeks ended December 28th,
1912, was 3,799, consisting of 1,913 males and 1,886 females. This is 311 below the average for
the last 10 years, and 43 below the figure for 1911.
This total includes 2,502 for Bermondsey, being 26 below that for 1911, and below the
average for the last 10 years ; 1,065 for Rotherhithe, being 2 below the number for 1911 and 35
below the average for the last 10 years ; and 232 for St. Olave, being 15 below the number for 1911,
and 41 below the average for the last 10 years.
In Table II. of the appendix will be seen the figures for the last 10 years in the three
registration sub-districts, and in Table I. figures for the whole Borough.
The birth-rate, for 1912 was 30.3 per thousand persons living, which is 0.2 below that for 1911
and 1.7 below the average for the last 10 years. Particulars of rates will be found in annexed Table
A. London is included for comparison.
A new departure with regard to births was made by the Registrar-General in 1906. The
births are corrected by distributing those which occurred in the chief lying-in hospitals of the
Metropolis to the Boroughs in which the mothers had resided previous to admission.
Those allocated to Bermondsey in 1912 number 49, and if they are added to the above total
the rate would be 30.7
Table A —Birth-rates.
Year.
Bermondsey.
Rotherhithe.
St. Olave.
Whole
Borough.
London.
34.70
30.47
33.92
33.4
28.5
1902
30.83
32.4
28.4
1903
31.12
29.10
32.4
27.8
28.27
40.69
1904
33.52
30.64
33.3
27.1
35.35
29.53
1905
31.4
31.08
26.5
1906
32.83
28.48
28.45
31.4
25.6
1907
32.76
29.06
32.1
25.2
32.58
1908
33.53
29.02
33.65
32.99
31.9
24.2
28.02
1909
31.3
23.6
27.27
35.53
1910
32.73
30.5
24.8
30.79
30.43
28.48
1911
Average for years
1902-1911
33.09
28.96
32.51
32.0
26.1
1912
30.48
24.5
27.08
30.3
30.65
From this table it will be seen that there is a reduction of the birth-rate for the Borough,
which is shared by Bermondsey and St. Olave.
Marriages.
The total number of marriages in the Borough in 1912 was 1,182, being 52 above the number
for 1911, and 64 above the average for the last 10 years.
In Table VIII. of the Appendix will be found particulars of numbers and rates in the three
Registration Sub-districts. The numbers have been supplied by the Superintendent Registrar.
Deaths.
In Table IV. of Appendix will be found the Local Government Board tables dealing with
deaths in the Borough. The extended table of causes of death initiated m 1904 will also be found
in the Appendix.*
The total number of deaths registered in the Borough for the 52 weeks ended December 28th,
1912, was 1,601, which is 181 less than in 1911, and 357 less than the average for the last 10 years.
When this figure is corrected by exclusion of deaths of non-parishioners occurring in the
district, and the inclusion of deaths of parishioners occurring outside the district, the number is
raised to 2,119. This is 201 less than in 1911, and 319 less than the average for the last 10 years.
The annexed table shows the distribution of deaths in quarters, together with the corresponding
quarters of 1911. The largest number of deaths occurred in the first quarter of the year.
* This has had to be considerably altered and extended so as to embody the recommendations of the International
Commission as published in the Manual of the International List of Causes of Death, the second decennial revision of which
was issued in 1912.

Table A—Birth-rates.

Year.Bermondsey.Rotherhithe.St. Olave.Whole Borough.London.
190234.7030.4733.9233.428.5
190331.1229.1030.8332.428.4
190433.5228.2740.6932.427.8
190535.3529.5330.6433.327.1
190632.8328.4831.0831.426.5
190732.7629.0628.4531.425.6
190833.5329.0232.5832.125.2
190933.6528.0232.9931.924.2
191032.7327.2735.5331.323.6
191130.7930.4328.4830.524.8
Average for years 1902-191133.0928.9632.5132.026.1
191230.4830.6527.0830.324.5