View report page

8
POPULATION.
The population of this Borough for the middle of
1919 is estimated by the Registrar-General at 110,085
persons. This figure differs considerably from the
figure obtained at the last Census in 1911, viz., 128,183.
None the less, it is a trustworthy estimate, as it is
founded on information from the local Food Office, and
based on the number of ration cards in use. For the
purpose of calculating the birth-rate, one must include
those men serving in the forces of the Crown, and the
population for calculating birth rate is estimated at
114,676 persons.
Even allowing for the continued absence of men in
the forces, there has been a decrease in population since
the last Census. Further comment is made on this
phenomenon in the Housing Section of this Report;
but briefly the following factors must be taken into consideration,
the relative importance of each factor being
a matter of some doubt:—
(a) Decrease of population owing to conversion of
dwelling houses to industrial purposes.
(b) Men on active service killed and missing.
(c) Spacing out of population owing to better
standard of living and consequent decrease
in overcrowding.
(d) Decreased birth rate.
MARRIAGES.
The number of marriages celebrated in Bethnal
Green during 1919 was 1,059 (including marriages of
sailors and soldiers). This is equal to a rate of 18.5
per 1,000 total population.