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Comparative occupational class statistics
As stated in the last report an arrangement was sought with other
large towns in the United Kingdom to keep and compare some special
vital and social class statistics for the year 1951. There are 14 such
large towns, but for one reason or another Harrow, Hull and Stoke
were unable to take part. This left 11 towns and the following are
some of the statistics obtained under the scheme. The towns all have a
population between 200,000 and 300,000 and the total population of
the 11 was 2,760,783. The average density was 21 persons an acre, the
lowest being Bradford with 11 per acre and the highest Islington with
76; Lewisham had 32.4. The average number of individuals per
tenement was 3.76, the lowest being Bradford with 3.2 and the highest
Islington with 4.6 (Lewisham 3.7). The percentage of municipally.
owned property did not vary very greatly, but it was lowest in
Portsmouth (11) and highest in Plymouth (24), (Lewisham 23). Requisitioned
property outside London was insignificant in amount, but in
the four greater London boroughs it varied between 3 per cent.
(Croydon) and 4.6 per cent. (Lambeth) (Lewisham 4.3 per cent.).
In the 11 towns there were 31,176 births, giving a rate of 14.91
per thousand population, of which 12 per cent, were in social classes
I and II, 67 per cent, in class III and 21 per cent, in classes IV and V.
Of the notified premature births the same percentage was in class III,
but classes I and II dropped to 10 per cent whereas in classes IV and V
there were 23 per cent. For the registered stillbirths class III had
again almost the same percentage at 66, whereas classes I and II dropped
further to 9 per cent., and classes IV and V increased to 25 per cent.
With regard to infant deaths class III remained the same at 67 per cent.,
while classes I and II fell to 8 per cent, and classes IV and V rose to
25 per cent. Thus comparing infant deaths with total births it is seen
that while the social class III percentage is the same in the two
categories the social class I and II percentage has dropped from 12 to 8