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9
POPULATION
The preliminary report on the Census of 1961 gives the
population of Hampstead as 98,902, an increase of nearly 4 per cent.
on the number of 95,131 at the census of 1951. The County of
London as a whole showed a decrease of nearly 5 per cent. during
the same period.
Changes in the method of tabulating the information received
at the census have made it possible for the figures to be supplied
either on a ward basis or on a basis of the 155 enumerators districts ,
and these latter figures have been requested. When they are
received they will allow more detailed analysis of the population and
of some of the facilities provided in houses in various parts of the
Borough.
In spite of the census figure of 98,902, the Registrar General
has given the mid-year estimate of the population in 1961 (that is
some two months after the census enumeration) as 96,990, a decrease
of 1 ,090 from the previous year as compared with an increase of
1 ,270 between 1959 and I960.
The Registrar General gives in an explanatory note some of
the factors which are taken into account in arriving at the estimated
mid-year population but one would have thought from local knowledge
that the estimated population would have shown an increase rather
than a decrease.
The calculations of vital statistics which are set out in the
statistical summary are, however, calculated on the estimate given.
BIRTHS
The number of live births (1 ,720) continues to increase and
was in fact the highest since 1947 (1 ,727). The number of live births
per 1 ,000 of the population was 17. 7 and the adjusted birth rate,
which takes account of the proportion of women of child bearing age
and allows comparison with other areas was 13.5.
Of the births, 892 were male and 828 female. There were
228 illegitimate births, or 13.3 per cent. of the total live births,
an increase of 1.8 per cent, over the previous year, Stillbirths
decreased by 7 to a total of 23, the lowest post war figure.