View report page

48
COUNTY OP LONDON CENSUS REPORT, 1951
In my Annual Report for 1952 I drew attention to the age and
sex construction of the population of Hampstead. With the publication
of the County Report for London of the Census 1951 (H.M.S.0.1953)
further details can now be given of the constitution of the
population and of the housing accommodation of the residents.
The total population in 1921 was 86,153, in 1931 88,947, and
in 1951 95,131. There has therefore been a constant increase during
the last 30 years. This is In contrast to the figures for the County
of London which have shown a decline since 1931. This decrease in
the County has affected more especially the central areas and the
areas around the docks. Other Boroughs that have shown an increase
are Lewisham and Woolwich.
Density of Population.
The density of population of persons per acre in Hampstead is
shown in Table I.
It will be seen that Kilburn Ward with 69.1 persons per acre
is the most densely populated, followed by the Belsize and West End
Wards. The Town Ward at 18.5 persons per acre is least crowded.
These figures do not give a complete picture of overcrowding, as for
instance included in the Town Ward there would be many acres of the
Heath. These figures can be compared with the development figures
for the County of London Plan which permit densities up to 136 in a
large part of the Priory Ward and a small area round Oppidans Road,
up to 100 in the Kilburn Area and most of the Belsize Ward, and up to
70 in parts of the Town and Central Wards.
The constitution of the Parliamentary Constituency and of
the Petty Sessional Division is the same as for the Borough.
Age and Sex Structure of Population.
The number and sex in each quinquennium and their civil
state are shown in Table II.
58 per cent, of the total population of the Borough are female
and this is in excess of the figure for the County of London as a
whole, which is 53 per cent. This greater excess of females is
also present in Chelsea, Kensington and St. Marylebone, boroughs which
will be seen to have many other features in common. In Hampstead
the excess of females is most marked in the quinquennia 15-19 and 20-24
where there are 164 females per 100 males, and 168 females per 100
males respectively. 44 per cent, of the population are single, 46
per cent, married and 10 per cent, widowed or divorced. These
figures are similar to the other Metropolitan Boroughs except for a
slightly greater percentage of widowed and divorced, with a slightly
smaller figure for married people. This feature is also found in
Chelsea, Kensington and St. Marylebone.