London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Camberwell 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Camberwell.
This page requires JavaScript
6
VITAL STATISTICS.
Population.
The Registrar-General's estimate of the population of
Camberwell in the middle of 1951 was 179,500; the Census figure
in April 1951 was 179,729.
The population of Camberwell has been steadily decreasing
for some years. This is partly due to the transfer of population
to housing estates outside the County of London. It is to be
hoped that further migration will take place and thus relieve
the overcrowded conditions which exist at present in the
Borough.
POPULATION OF CAMBERWELL, 1921-51.
| Year. | Population. | Year. | Population. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 269,600 | 1937 | 224,800 |
| 1922 | 270,300 | 1938 | 222,400 |
| 1923 | 272,300 | 1939 | 219,500 |
| 1924 | 273,700 | 1940 | 173,750 |
| 1925 | 265,400 | 1941 | 127,570 |
| 1926 | 275,400 | 1942 | 129,900 |
| 1927 | 271,100 | 1943 | 132,330 |
| 1928 | 260,400 | 1944 | 129,880 |
| 1929 | 256,900 | 1945 | 135,460 |
| 1930 | 256,900 | 1946 | 164,380 |
| 1931 | 252,100 | 1947 | 175,060 |
| 1932 | 248,000 | 1948 | 178,200 |
| 1933 | 243,700 | 1949 | 178,310 |
| 1934 | 238,360 | 1950 | 178,900 |
| 1935 | 234,400 | 1951 | 179,500 |
| 1936 | 229,300 |
Births. The total births allocated to Camberwell for 1951 were:—
| Live births | 2,951 |
| Still births | 57 |
| Total | 3,008 |
Illegitimate births numbered 176, which represents 5·8 per
cent. of the total births.
The live birth rate was 16·4 per 1,000 total population.
The birth rate has declined since 1947 but is still above the
pre-war level (13·8 in 1939). The high rates of 1946 and 1947