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I. METEOROLOGY.
The general impression left by the weather of 1923 was not a favourable one, low temperatures
and heavy rain being, on the whole, the most outstanding characteristics. Comparison of the meteorological
records does not, however, furnish unreserved confirmation of that pessimistic impression.
The mean temperature for the year (9.0 a.m. observations) was nearly one degree above that for 1922,
but was 2-9° below the mean for 1921. The maximum temperature recorded during the past year
(95-0° on July 13th) was the highest observed since 1911, when a maximum of 96° was recorded on
August 9. The monthly morning (9.0 a.m.) readings were very close to the averages for the preceding
year except those of May (6° below the average) June (4° below) July (6° above), November
(3° below) and December (4° below). The minimum temperature in November (23-5°) and that in
December (29-9°) were the lowest recorded since 1911, the earliest record available at the moment for
comparison—fitting preparation for the cold spell with which 1924 opened.
It is probable that the amount of bright sunshine with which the year is favoured weighs more
with the public than any other of the meteorological elements. If that be so, last year's record
(1,200 hours) was largely responsible for the unfavourable impression left by the year. In spite of
the fact that bright sunshine was recorded on 5 more days last year than in 1922 (276 days in 1923,
compared with 271 in 1922), the year's total (1,200 hours) was 123 hours —nearly 10 per cent.—less
than the total (1,323 hours) for 1922. In comparison with the amounts recorded during the years
1918-22, there were deficiencies of 50 hours during the months January to March, and of 200 hours
during April to June. During July to September there was an excess of 171 hours and during October
to December, one of 8 hours. In May there was a deficiency of 87 hours and in June of 99. During
the year no bright sunshine was recorded on 70 days and on 45 days the record exceeded 9 hours per
day.
According to the records kept at Camden Square the rainfall measured during the past year
amounted to 27.03 inches, 2.56 inches in excess of the average for the years 1881-1915. Measurable
quantities fell on 182 days, 19 in excess of the average, the duration of the fall being 779.2 hours, or
42.3 in excess of the average. The largest number of rainy days (24) occurred in February (11 more
than the average) and the smallest (9) in June (3 days below the average) and October (9 below the
average). The thunderstorms which passed over the Metropolis during the night of 9/10 July and
the afternoon of the 10th were of exceptional severity, the latter being the worse, its centre lying over
the Thames near Windsor. During the storm of the 9th-10th, no fewer than 6,924 flashes of lightning
were counted in a space of 6 hours by an observer in Chelsea. In the course of the early hours of the
19th, over 2 inches of rain fell in Hampstead, but no complaints were received of any sewer flooding
in the Borough.
II. POPULATION.
It was anticipated that the unfortunate postponement of the Census of 1921 to the middle of June
would introduce errors of deficiency in the London results, an anticipation which has been shown to
have been realised by the publication of Part III. (Supplementary) of the Census Report for the
County of London. That volume deals with " Workplaces in London and Five Home Counties."
It is incomplete to the extent that it does not cover the whole country. The Preface to the Report
contains a statement showing the areas and towns in Essex, Herts, Kent and Surrey in which the
enumerated population (1921) was more than 3 per cent, in excess of the estimated resident population.
The excess was greater than 15 per cent, in the following districts :
Margate 40.3 Walton-on-the-Naze 33.1 Frinton-on-Sea 34.0
Clacton 31.1 Broadstairs 28.0 Ramsgate 17.7
The facts given above must be regarded as provisional pending the completion of the tabulation
of the Census results. It is hoped that a full analysis of the areas of domicile of visitors to holiday
resorts and elsewhere will be given in a later Report on the Census. Such analysis would enable the
de jure population of the Borough to be compared with the de facto population recorded by the Census.
Workplaces.—At the Census, 41,879 males aged 12 years and upwards (including students over 18)
and 32,266 females were enumerated in the Borough "as gainfully employed." Of those individuals
25,055 males and 11,855 females gave addresses of workplaces which were outside the Borough.
The numbers reporting themselves as employed within the Borough were—males, 12,765 and females,
17,989—the differences representing failure to state workplace or giving incomplete information with
reference thereto. Expressed as percentages, the proportions of occupied persons working outside the
Borough were males, 59.8 and females, 36.7.