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Town Hall,
Kensington, W.8.
21st May, 1930.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Royal Borough of Kensington.
My Lord, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my annual report for 1929 upon the state of the public health
in Kensington.
In the early months of the year extremely severe weather was experienced, and during that
period there was an outbreak of influenza. As a result, there were in the first five months of the
year 517 deaths from influenza, bronchitis and pneumonia, and these are mainly responsible for
the high death rate for the year.
There was also at the same time an epidemic of whooping cough which accounted for 62
deaths.
An increase occurred in the maternal mortality rate. A very careful investigation has been
made into every death and full details were supplied to the Ministry of Health in connection with
an enquiry which is now being undertaken by a Departmental Committee at the Ministry into
maternal mortality throughout the country.
Special attention is called to the section on rheumatism. When the results of the two years'
work were presented to the Council, it was decided to ask the Minister of Health to extend the
system of compulsory notification beyond the experimental period of three years expiring on the
30th September, 1930, and an intimation has been received that the Minister is prepared to agree
to this proposal.
The presentation of this report affords me an opportunity of expressing my appreciation
of the full measure of support which has been accorded to me by the Mayor, Aldermen and members
of the Council, the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the various Committees, and of thanking the chief
officers of other departments for their willing help and the provision of much information contained
in this report. In conclusion, I desire to thank the staff of the Public Health Department for
their loyal and very efficient service throughout the year.
VITAL STATISTICS.
The Royal Borough of Kensington as constituted under the London Government Act, 1899,
covers an area of 2,291 acres, and is co-extensive with the civil parish and registration district
of the same name. The line of demarcation formed by Holland Park Avenue, High Street,
Notting Hill Gate, and the Bayswater Road divides the borough into approximately equal halves
described in previous years and in this report as North and South Kensington respectively.
Each of these areas is co-terminous with the parliamentary division of the same name. The
borough is further sub-divided into nine wards. North Kensington includes the wards of St.
Charles, Golborne, Norland and Pembridge, whilst South Kensington is made up of the five other
wards, namely, Holland, Earl's Court, Queen's Gate, Redcliffe and Brompton.
POPULATION.