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I. METEOROLOGY.
The year 1922 was a notable contrast to 1921, being colder and wetter. The mean temperature
of the air (9 a.m.) was 49.9°, as compared with 53.6° in the previous year, but was only 0.4° below
the average for the ten years, 1912.21 (50.8°). The annual mean of the wet bulb readings was 46.6°,
showing a difference from the dry bulb mean of 3.3° against one of 4.1° in 1921, and a decennial
mean difference of 2.6°. The maximum air temperature (90°) was recorded in May, a figure which
has been exceeded once only since 1912, viz., in July, 1921 (maximum 93°), and the minimum, 24° in
January. The maximum solar temperature (135°)—recorded in May and July of last year—has
been surpassed twice only since 1912, viz., in 1914 and 1921 (138° in both instances). The minimum
grass temperature in 1922 (19°, January) differed notably from the minima recorded in 1920 (7.5°)
and 1921 (7°).
The total rainfall for the past year amounted to 26.13 inches, the number of days with measurable
amounts of rain being 174, contrasting with a total fall of only 14.55 inches in 1921, measured
on 116 days. The number of days with measurable rainfall during 1922 exceeded the decennial
average (161), but the total amount measured was nearly an inch less than the mean (26.97 inches).
Bright sunshine was recorded on 271 days last year, the total duration of sunshine being 1,323½ hours,
the corresponding figures for 1921 being 284 days and 1,561¾ hours, and the decennial means, 266
days and 1,279½ hours.
The outstanding features of the past year were the hot dry spell experienced in May, and the
coldness and raininess of the "summer." In May the maximum temperature of the year (90°) was
recorded, and the rainfall (measured on nine days) amounted to no more than 0.94 inches, the smallest
total fall for any month during the year. In July and August the maximum temperatures recorded
were 77° (July) and 73° (August), while the total rainfall was no less than 3.92 inches in July and 2.24
inches in August, the number of days with measurable falls being 23 and 18.
II. POPULATION.
Census Returns.—The enumeration made in 1921 showed that 144,261 persons passed the night
of June 19th.20th in the Borough. In 1901 the population was found to number 143,976 persons, and
in 1911,142,551, so that while the figures quoted show an increase of 1.2 per cent. in the total for 1921,
as compared with that for 1911, there is a practical equality between the totals for 1901 and 1921.
To those intimately acquainted with the Borough the result of the last census cannot fail to be surprising.
Comparison with the earlier enumerations is, however, somewhat misleading, owing to the fact
that the census of 1921 was taken near the end of June, instead of the beginning of April, as in 1901
and 1911. Although in June, 1921, railway traffic had not entirely recovered from the effects of the
coal strike in the months of April and May, there is little doubt that the annual migration from London
had been established at the time the census was taken. It has been found that the 1921 (census)
populations of certain seaside resorts show increases since 1911 beyond what are reasonably probable,
i.e., that they were inflated by summer visitors.
Further evidence of the probability of error in defect in the census population of the Borough
will be adduced in the section of this Report dealing with Housing. Whatever the suspected defect
may amount to, the census results (the de facto population) have to be accepted at their face value
unless the de jure population be given in a later volume of the Census Report.
Although there was an increase of 1,710 persons in the enumerated population in 1921, as compared
with that of 1911, the residents in three Wards, viz., Queen's Park, Church (new) and Hyde Park, were
fewer in 1921 than in 1911, the percentage decreases, varying from 5.7 in Hyde Park to 2.2 in Queen's
Park. If the figures for the last census be compared with those for the census 1901, the only Wards
showing increases in population are Maida Vale (increase 18 per cent.), Lancaster Gate, West (increase
13 per cent.), and Lancaster Gate, East (increase 3 per cent.). The decreases observed in the
other Wards vary from 13 per cent. in Hyde Park to 1 per cent. in Harrow Road. In Queen's Park
Ward there has been a fall of 8.3 per cent. in the population during the twenty years.
Sex Distribution.—At the first census (1801), when the population of the Old Parish of Padding.
ton was 1,881 persons, the ratio of males to females was 100:116. At each successive census the excess
of females has been greater, reaching a maximum (100 : 151) in 1861 and 1881. At the census of
1901 the proportion had fallen in the Old Parish to 100 : 139 (approximately), and was 100 : 134 in
the Borough as now constituted. Since 1901 the inequality has become greater, the proportion
increasing to 100 : 136 in 1911 and 100 : 138 at the last census.
The returns for the individual Wards show wide variations in the sex distribution, those found
at the last census ranging from a maximum proportion of 100 : 209 (Lancaster Gate, West, Ward)
to a minimum of 100 : 108 (Queen's Park). Both in 1901 and in 1911 there was in the latter Ward