View report page

8
Population Estimated to the middle of 1918. The census of
the population is made at the end of the first quarter of the first
year of each decade, i.e., in 1901, 1911, etc. The population of the
Borough was—
At the Census of 1901 219,110, and
At the Census of 1911 222,533.
In normal times the population at the middle of each of the years
intervening between 1911 and the next Census in 1921 would have
been estimated upon the basis of the increase between the Census
of 1901 and that of 1911, which the figures given above show to
have been 3,423, roughly, some 340 a year; but, owing to the
Great War, there was an enormous exodus of the male population
of the young adult and middle-aged periods of life, and this completely
altered the age and sex constitution of every district in
the country, in addition to reducing actual numbers. Thus, the
preponderance of females was largely increased; and, as the average
length of life of females is greater than that of males, the tendency
of this condition would be to lower the death-rate. On the other
hand, the removal of large numbers of healthy young and middleaged
men, leaving the very young and old people at home, would
tend to raise the death-rate, because this rate is greater at the
two extremes of life than at the young adult and middle-aged
period. It is obvious, therefore, that any statistics based on an
estimated population computed on normal lines would be
altogether misleading.
For this reason the Registrar-General has calculated for each
district two distinct populations, from one of which the birth-rate
is to be estimated, and from the other the death-rate.
The figures he gives are—
Population for estimating the birth-rate, 219,391.
Population for estimating the death-rate, 195,804.
Marriages and Marriage Rate.—During 1918 there were 2,011
marriages solemnised in the Borough of Hackney, being an increase