London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1907
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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6
MARRIAGES AND MARRIAGE RATE.
The marriages in the year were 1,676, compared with 1,672, 1,574 and 1,690, in the three
preceding years respectively. Of these marriages there were celebrated—
By the Church (60.9 per cent. of total marriages) 1,021
At Roman Catholic places of worship . 147
At other Nonconformist places of worship (12.0 per cent.) 49
At the Jewish Synagogue 5
At the Superintendent-Registrar's Office (27.1 per cent.) 454
1,676
The subjoined table shows the Marriage-Rate in Ten Years 1897-1906, and in 1907, in Kensington, in London, and in England and Wales.
| YEAR. | Kensington. | London. | England and Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of Marriages. | Marriage Rate. | Marriage Rate. | Marriage Rate. | |
| 1897 | 1,681 | 19.7 | 18.5 | 16.0 |
| 1898 | 1,648 | 19.2 | 18.8 | 16.2 |
| 1899 | 1,693 | 19.6 | 18.6 | 16.4 |
| 1900 | 1,543 | 17.8 | 18.0 | 15.9 |
| 1901 | 1,651 | 18.7 | 17.6 | 15.9 |
| 1902 | 1,703 | 19.2 | 17.8 | 15.8 |
| 1903 | 1,623 | 18.2 | 17.4 | 15.6 |
| 1904 | 1,672 | 18.7 | 17.0 | 15.2 |
| 1905 | 1,574 | 17.6 | 16.9 | 15.3 |
| 1906 | 1,690 | 18.8 | 17.1 | 15.6 |
| Average 1897-1906 | 1,648 | 18.8 | 17.8 | 15.8 |
| 1907 | 1,676 | 18.6 | 17.0 | 15.8 |
In his Annual Summary for the year 1906 the Registrar-General stated that during the
preceding 36 years the marriage-rate of England and Wales, based on total population, had decreased
by about 12 per cent, while based on the total number of marriageable persons in the community,
it had shown a decrease equivalent to a fall of nearly 21 per cent. The latter figure, he added,
might be said to represent with approximate accuracy, the fall in the marriage-rate in the period
under review, i.e., 36 years. These observations would appear to apply generally to 1907, the rate
in which (15.8 per 1,000 of the population at all ages) was 0.2 per 1,000 above the corresponding
rate in 1906; and equal to the average rate in the ten years 1897-1906.
The London Marriage-rate (17.0 per 1,000 of the population at all ages) was 0.1 per
1,000 below the rate in 1906; and 0.8 below the average rate in the ten years 1897-1906.
The Kensington marriage-rate (18.6 per 1,000 of the population at all ages) was 0.2 per
1,000 below the rate in 1906; and also 0.2 below the average rate in the ten years 1897-1906.