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3
POPULATION
The Registrar-General has estimated the population of Southwark in
the middle of the year, 1916, at 177,166. Although the statistics have
been worked out on that figure it is the opinion of many persons, well
acquainted with the borough, that this estimate of the population is too
low. The population at the last Census, (1911) from various reasons,
such as the clearance of large areas for rebuilding purposes, the incomplete
occupation of recently built properties, and the natural desire of
many of the inhabitants to live outside the borough, was found much
depleted, but since then matters have changed. It is thought that the
population for 1916 may be put at 190,000 as nearer the mark. The
demand for women's labour with the large increase in the wages of the
artisan class in this war time, has not only made retail trade very good
in the borough, but has made it very difficult to find house accommodation.
Our large property owners have had no houses to let. The
finances of the borough have suffered by the delay of the Tabard Street
Area Scheme of rebuilding, and in other similar ways. The physical
condition and the appearance of our inhabitants, in this war time, were
never better in spite of the increase in the price of all commodities and
the difficulty of obtaining many articles of food.