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119
Ages.—In the age groups, comparison with the 1931 Census
reveals that of the first thirteen quinquennial groups only one
(0-4 years) showed an increase, thus reflecting the higher number of
births occurring during the years 1946-1947. From the age of 65
years and upwards the increase in the present Census figures indicate
the general trend towards an ageing population, and the following
table compares the 1951 composition of the three main age groups
with that of 1931 :—
Age Group
1931
1951
Persons
% of Pop.
Persons
% of Pop.
Under 15 years 24,997 24.8%20,896 23.3%
(School children)
15-64 years 68,817 68.2% 60,111 66.9%
(Working population)
Over 65 years 7,110 7.0% 8,839 9.8%
(Retired persons)
Taken as a whole, although there was only a slight decrease in
the proportions in the working-age group, 15-64 years, there were
relatively fewer persons in the younger section and more in the older
section of it; viz , in 1931 there were 34.6% aged 15-34 years and
33.5% at 35-64 years, compared with 29.7% and 37.0% respectively
in 1951.
Excess of Females —There was an excess of 2,264 females
over males, which compares with the figure of 1,828 for 1931, and
the female content of the population rose from 50.9% in the previous
Census to 51.3% in 1951.
Compared with the London figure of 1,138, the sex ratio in
Greenwich, i.e., the number of females per thousand males, was
1,052 a rise of 15 over that for 1931.
Despite this overall preponderance of females, collectively
there was a slight excess of males up to the age of 54 years, although
this excess was not regular throughout the intervening quinquennial
groups. An excess of males was evident up to the age of 10 years
but for the next 20 years (up to the age of 30), the balance was
reversed and it moved in favour of the females. From 30 years up
to the age of 50, the males were again in excess but from this period
upwards the numbers of females outweighed those of the males.
Marital Condition.—Considering only persons of 15 years and
over, some 65.3% were married, 25.5% were single, 8.6% were
widowed and 0.6% were divorced. The ratio of the widowed