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13
Physical Features and General Character of the Borough.
I have not infrequently been asked by people from different parts
of the country and from abroad, for advice as to the desirability of
Hampstead as a residential district, and as to its suitability in respect of
certain diseases. The following brief notes on the climatic and geological
condition of Hampstead, may, therefore, be of use to any such persons
who may be contemplating residence in the Metropolis.
Hampstead's position is upon a hill, which raises it considerably
above other parts of London. The meteorological station which has
been built upon the covered reservoir of the Metropolitan Water Board
adjoining the White Stone Pond is 450 feet above mean ordnance data.
The height of the ground at the foot of the Flag-staff is 438 feet. The
lowest parts of the Borough are at Chalk Farm and Kilburn Priory, the
former 100 feet, and the latter 101 feet, above sea level. To its elevation,
Hampstead, owes its climatic conditions which are in most respects
superior to the remainder of London. Hampstead's chief advantages
are,—that its sunshine is greater, and its extremes of temperature are less
than other parts of London.
Sunshine.—That Hampstead possesses marked advantages in the
matter of bright sunshine has often been informally commented upon,
but only in recent years has the amount of sunshine been scientifically
recorded, the first record being taken in 1909, in which year the Hampstead
Scientific Society installed a recorder on the summit of the Heath.
The following figures show at a glance the superiority of the district to
its neighbours, and by inference, its relative freedom from fogs and
smoke ; this is especially noticeable during the winter months. These
figures indicate the hours of sunshine recorded in different districts of
the Metropolis, and it will be seen that at Hampstead more sunshine was
recorded than at the other districts, with the exception of Greenwich,
but I have reason to believe that the position of the Hampstead recorder
causes Hampstead to be somewhat unfairly treated in the matter of
sunshine records, and that on clear dry evenings the record may belower
than the actual sunshine that existed. Moreover, the amount of
sunshine recorded on Hampstead Hill can be shown to be in many
instances greater than that of seaside places where people go for sunshine
and fresh air, two commodities of which they would have obtained more
had they stayed at home.