London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hammersmith 1961
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hammersmith Borough]
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8
(a) Population
The Registrar General's estimated population for Hammersmith for 1961 is
108,010, which shows a reduction of 280 compared with 1960. The provisional
figure for the 1961 Census, however, gives a population of 110,147, an increase of
2,137 over this latest estimate.
It has long been my contention that the estimated population suggested by the
Registrar General was not realistic, and the population of the borough was not
being reduced at such a rate. The latest census figure would appear to uphold
this view.
For purposes of comparison birth and death rates have been calculated on
both sets of figures.
| Year | Population | Excess of Births over Deaths | Year | Population | Excess of Births over Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | 89,370 | 337 | 1952 | 118,800 | 420 |
| 1943 | 92,050 | 468 | 1953 | 117,600 | 543 |
| 1944 | 89,190 | 370 | 1954 | 116,500 | 705 |
| 1945 | 96,100 | 434 | 1955 | 114,700 | 462 |
| 1946 | 111,860 | 974 | 1956 | 113,300 | 529 |
| 1947 | 117,280 | 1,190 | 1957 | 111,700 | 657 |
| 1948 | 115,800 | 847 | 1958 | 110,200 | 786 |
| 1949 | 118,440 | 662 | 1959 | 108,900 | 767 |
| 1950 | 119,200 | 691 | 1960 | 108,290 | 1,007 |
| 1951 | 118,300 | 377 | 1961 | 108,010 | 1,017 |
(b) Births
The corrected number of births for the year was 2,263 as against 2,212 in
1960. On the estimated population of 108,010 this represents an annual rate of
20.95 births per thousand persons living. On the census population the figure
is 20.5. In 1960 the birth rate per thousand of the population was 20.4.
There was an increase in illegitimate births from 261 in 1960 to 303 in 1961.
During the same period the number of legitimate births increased by 9 only, a
somewhat disturbing position.
(c) Deaths
The number of deaths registered during the year was 1,492. From this figure
must be deducted 755 in respect of non-resident and transferable deaths, and added
to it 509 deaths of residents of the Borough who died in various parts of England.
This gives the corrected figure of deaths as 1,246 (650 males and 596 females).
Using the estimated figure of 108,010, the number of deaths per thousand of
the population is 11.5 compared with 11.1 in 1960. Calculated on the census
population the figure becomes 11.3.
Once more the principal causes of death during 1961 were diseases of the
heart and cancer.
In the following table will be found a detailed analysis of deaths from all causes
with separate comparison tables for carcinoma of the lungs and cancer.