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

Kensington 1914

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]

This page requires JavaScript

Text

Copy text to clipboard

4
Marriages.—The marriages celebrated during the year numbered 1,775. The number of
marriages celebrated annually and the annual marriage rate since 1860 were given in the annual
report for 1908, Appendix II., Table A, page 60.

Table: Births.-The number of births registered in the district was 3,003, but this figure does not include 150 infants born of Kensington mothers in Queen Charlotte's Lying-in Hospital and other institutions beyond the Borough. The total number of births belonging to the Borough was, therefore, 3,153. The birth-rate expressed as the number of births per 1,000 of the population was 18 4. Arranged as to sex and legitimacy the births were as follows:—

Births.-The number of births registered in the district was 3,003, but this figure does not include 150 infants born of Kensington mothers in Queen Charlotte's Lying-in Hospital and other institutions beyond the Borough. The total number of births belonging to the Borough was, therefore, 3,153. The birth-rate expressed as the number of births per 1,000 of the population was 18 4. Arranged as to sex and legitimacy the births were as follows:—

Male.Female.Total.
Legitimate1,5461,4563,002
Illegitimate8764151
Total1,6331,5203,153

Text

Copy text to clipboard

Still births are not registered and are therefore not included in the above figures.

Table: The following Table shows the number of births and the birth-rate in North and South Kensington and in the several Wards, after distribution of the births at the Borough Infirmary, Queen Charlotte's Hospital, and other Institutions.

The following Table shows the number of births and the birth-rate in North and South Kensington and in the several Wards, after distribution of the births at the Borough Infirmary, Queen Charlotte's Hospital, and other Institutions.

Total Births.Birth-rate per 1,000 of the Population.
North Kensington2,32726.6
South Kensington8269.8
St. Charles64328.1
Golborne84433.2
Norland55226.7
Pembridge28815.6
Holland20910.3
Earl's Court18710.7
Queen's Gate1027.1
Redcliffe20410.6
Brompton1249.8
The Borough3,15318.4

Text

Copy text to clipboard

The effects of social status on the birth-rate are illustrated by the fact that the rate for South
Kensington is considerably less than half the rate for North Kensington, whilst the birth-rate for
Golborne Ward in the North is more than four times as great as the rate for the Ward of Queen's
Gate in the South. To a certain extent this wide discrepancy is no doubt due to differences in the
numbers of married women of child-bearing age in the districts compared.
The births occurring every year in Kensington have fallen in round numbers from 4,500 in
1880, to 3,150 in the present year. The steady decline in the birth-rate is shown in Table V.
Appendix, p. 67, where the number of births and the birth-rates both for London and Kensington
are given for each quinquennial period since 1881. The figures for each year were given in the
Annual Report for 1908.