London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hammersmith 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hammersmith Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
4
Vital Statistics
(a) Population
The census of the population of the Borough in 1901 was
112,239. By the 1911 census it had increased to 121,521.
The census of 1921 showed the population to be 130,295 and
by the 1931 census it had increased to 135,521.
No census of the population was undertaken during the
war years but the one taken during the year under review
shows the population to be 119,317.
It will be seen, therefore, that during the last half-century
the population of Hammersmith has only increased by 7,078
but since the 1931 census there has been a decrease of 16,204.
No epidemic resulting in high mortality occurred during the
year, and the natural increase in population resulting from an
excess of births over deaths has been maintained.
(b) Marriages
The number of marriages registered during the year was
1,220, this being a reduction of 31 as compared with the
previous year.
(c) Births
The corrected number of births for the year supplied by
the Registrar-General was 1,874. On the estimated population,
i.e., 118,300, this represents an annual rate of 15.8 births
per thousand persons living as compared with 16.6 the
previous year.
(d) Deaths
During the year 1,605 deaths were registered. Adding
401 deaths of residents of this Borough transferred by the
Registrar-General as having occurred in various parts of
England, and deducting 494 deaths of non-residents and 15
transferable deaths which occurred, the corrected number of
deaths of residents was 1,497 (795 males, 702 females).
On the estimated population, i.e., 118,300, the corrected
number of deaths of residents was equal to an annual rate
of 12.6 deaths per 1,000 persons living, as compared with the
previous year's rate of 10.8, which was the lowest on record.
In the Statistical Supplement will be found a chart showing
the proportion of deaths from the principal causes, from which
will be seen that diseases affecting the heart and important
blood vessels come first and cancer occupies third place—
lung conditions having taken second place.