View report page

52
noticeable in Greenwich and births continued to fall in accordance
with a pattern established in the middle 1960's.
Since 1965, Greenwich yearly births have declined by 627
(16.8%) to the present total of 3,095 which itself is a decrease of
74 (2.3%) from the previous year.
One aspect not revealed by the current statistics is that, during
1971, births to residents of the Greenwich area of the Borough
show a reduction of 12.3% whereas those for the Woolwich district
indicate a rise of 3.3%. Furthermore, while inward transferable
births, i.e. those births occurring beyond the Borough boundary,
fell by 45% in respect of the Greenwich area, those for the Woolwich
District decreased by only 7.3%.
In the absence of the 1971 Census figures, explanations for this
odd distribution of current births could be, at best, only intelligent
guesses. These could range from the possibility of an ageing
population in the western part of the Borough with a more youthful
settlement in the Woolwich, Plumstead and Abbey Wood
districts to disproportionate migration within and without the area
and from the disparate ratio of new housing projects in the
respective areas to varying use of family planning facilities—all
with overlying problems of a reduction in industrial processes in
the neighbourhood and an increase in the socio-economic activity
of married women.
Illegitimate Births
The degree of illegitimacy is usually evaluated by calculating
illegitimate births as a percentage of total live births. This is satisfactory
for the short-term assessment but, if the legitimate rate is
declining and the illegitimate remains constant, there will be an
apparent but not necessarily a real increase in illegitimacy. Currently
we have just such a situation where illegitimate births have
declined but their proportion of total live births has increased.
Although medically speaking there is no distinction between a
legitimate and an illegitimate birth, nevertheless, statistically it
can be demonstrated that illegitimacy reduces the chances of
survival in early infancy.
It has always been assumed that illegitimacy resulted from low
social standards, both cultural and material, and that it arose
also where such factors as an insecure family life, poor and overcrowded
housing, lack of direction and personal drive were in
evidence. Although these considerations still apply today, illegitimacy
knows no bounds and is to be found in all walks of life.
Indeed, on occasions, it would appear to be sought by certain types.
Society, as well as individuals, shares the onus of illegitimacy
and only widespread education in sexual responsibility can