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The following figures and tables are abstracted from the Census
Statistics and are in respect of the living population enumerated as
at midnight 8th/9th April, 1951.
General.—As on previous occasions, the census population
which forms the basis of the statistics was the de facto population,
whether of British or non-British nationality, actually enumerated
within the area on census night.
The population so enumerated excluded, in particular, members
of the Armed Forces and Mercantile Marine outside the country and,
in this respect, omitted a number of persons who might otherwise
have been in the area. It must also be remembered that, at the
time of the census, many children in boarding schools and students
in residential colleges were on vacation and, therefore, the population
enumerated for these areas was probably appreciably less than
normal.
Despite the fact that there was a natural increase, i.e., excess of
births over deaths, of some 3.9%, the total population in the City
and County of London showed a decline of 1,049,021 for the whole
period since 1931, indicating that migration movements were almost
entirely responsible for the changes.
The greater part of the decline took place after 1939 and, in
respect of the central and dockside areas, this must be attributed
to (a) the destruction of property and large scale evacuation of people
which took place during the war years, and to (b) the post-war
planning policies, i.e., the " decanting " of population to areas
outside the County. In respect of (a) above, it is obvious that an
appreciable proportion of the people who were driven out during
the war did not return to their previous places of residence.
GREENWICH STATISTICS
Population.—Population in Greenwich, amounting to 89,846,
showed a decrease of 11,078 from the previous Census figure of 1931
which itself was a slight increase over that for 1921; whereas in
1931 there were 7 Metropolitan Boroughs showing advances, in
1951 only in Hampstead, Lewisham and Woolwich were increases
recorded.
With the exception of two, namely, Kidbrooke and the SouthEast,
all ward populations showed substantial decreases. In
the case of Kidbrooke an increase was recorded of approximately
175%, while the South-East Ward showed practically no change.