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higher incidence of mental disease, predominantly manic depressive illness
or chronic alcoholism.

As long ago as 1897, E. Durkheim advanced the idea that suicide
increased when social integration and social regulation were weak. This
hypothesis has been expanded by Dr. Peter Sainsbury in his 1955 monograph
on suicide in London in which he writes:-
"Socially mobile, isolated and disorganised districts have
most suicides; social isolation explains the correlations found
between suicide and living alone or in boarding houses; suicide
and districts with a large immigrant population; suicide and the
incidence of divorce and illegitimacy. The higher suicide rates
in the more mobile and individualistic occupations and classes
and among the unemployed and the rates for sex, age and marital
groups may all likewise be interpreted in terms of the degree of
social isolation or participation to which these groups are
subject... High mobility and social isolation preclude a
stable social framework by which the individual may orientate
himself, so that he pursues an anonymous and aimless existence,
devoid of meaning which induces an ennui culminating in suicide
...in the single rented rooms of South Kensington, Bayswater
and Bloomsbury the untoward consequences of loneliness and
anonymity seem to prevail."
From the foregoing it will be seen that many of the factors
contributing to or actuating suicide are operative in Kensington and
Chelsea to a greater extent than in most of the London boroughs. The
locality, living conditions and social structure are consonant with the
views on causation which have been quoted The methods and age
distribution similarly largely conform, but the ratio of females to
males is substantially higher than that for the country as a whole or
for Greater London.
While some of the causative factors are beyond our control the
Department is directing its attention, expanding its services and
intensifying its efforts in connection with social welfare and
preventive psychiatry. In the former, especially in the direction of
community care of the aged, in the latter by community care and
after-care, and by consolidating our liaison with hospital in-and
out-patient treatment of those suffering with mental illness.
Although not limited to the borough, mention must be made of the
invaluable work carried out by a voluntary organisation, the
Samaritans. This maintains a day and night counselling and advisory
service made available by telephone to potential suicides. Formerly
receiving donations from Kensington and Chelsea, it now receives
financial support from the Greater London Council on behalf of
London as a whole.