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3
SECTION A
SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE BOROUGH AND
STATISTICS
Hammersmith is a thriving and prosperous community, part
industrial and part residential, situated at the north west corner of
the county of London.
There is a variation of approximately 120 ft. in the elevation
of the borough from the south boundary at the River Thames to
the northern boundary. The highest point is at the junction of
Scrubs Lane and Harrow Road (133 ft. above Mean Sea Level at
Newlyn) and the lowest at points in the Lower and Upper Malls
(13 ft. above Mean Sea Level at Newlyn).
The sub-soil of the northern part of the Borough, i.e. north of
Uxbridge Road, mainly consists of clay, whilst in the south there is
a layer of some 20 ft. of gravel above blue clay, particularly in the
east, much of which was excavated for brick-making purposes in
the distant past.
The Borough covers an area of 2,282.5 acres. 287 acres or
approximately one-eighth of the total area consists of parks and
open spaces, and most of this is controlled by the London County
Council and the remainder by the Hammersmith Borough Council.
Hammersmith has become largely an industrial and business
district with an estimated population of 108,900 in 1959. The
Registrar General reports that there has been a steady reduction in
the population figures of the Borough for the last seven years.
As we are placed between Central London and the attractive
residential south west, many fine houses are to be found here, and
the water front from Chiswick to Hammersmith Bridge still retains
much of its original character and charm.
Vital Statistics.
(a) Population
A detailed analysis of population figures is shown in the
statistical supplement.
The Registrar-General's figures of estimated population show
that there has been a reduction in population from 110,200 in 1958
to 108,900 in 1959. As there has been no national census during
this period his figures are pure estimates and are in no way factual.
(b) Marriages
The number of marriages was 1,267. a decrease of 17 compared
with the previous year.