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7
The following table illustrates the effect of the continuous fall in the birth-rate since
1921. It will be seen that the number of children under the age of 5 years had, in 1931,
diminished by 1,881, and that of children between the ages of 5 and 15 years by 4,387. The
higher age-groups, however, all show increased figures, those for the group 65 years and
upwards especially indicating an improvement as regards the duration of life.
Age-groups.
Enumerated Population.
1921.
1931.
Variations as
compared with 1921.
Increase.
Decrease.
0—5 years 9,902 8,021 — 1,881
5—15 „ 20,306 15,919 — 4,387
15—25 „ 24,698 26,960 2,262 —
25—65 „ 79,760 82,602 2,842 —
65 years and upwards 9,595 11,421 1,826 —
Totals 144,261 144,923 6,930 6,268
An examination of the figures relating to housing, summarised below, shows that the
number of private families increased from 38,320 in 1921 to 40,714 in 1931. There were
increases in all classes of tenements from 1 to 7 rooms, more especially in those consisting
of 1, 2 and 3 rooms.
Tenements consisting of
Number of families
enumerated.
Variations as
compared with 1921.
1921.
1931.
Increase.
Decrease.
1 room 6,299 7,273 974 —
2 rooms 8,269 8,868 599 —
3 „ 9,468 10,570 1,102 —
4 „ 5,480 5,847 367 —
5 „ 2,874 3,062 188 —
6 and 7 rooms 2,883 2,925 42 —
8 ,, 9 964 697 — 267
10 rooms and over 2,083 1,472 — 611
Totals 38,320 40,714 3,272 878
It is satisfactory to note that although there was a considerable increase in the number
of tenements in the Borough, there was a slight fall in the average number of occupants per
room, a fact due, presumably, to the smaller size of the present-day family. The following
figures show the conditions recorded in each of the last two census years:—
Number of occupants per
Tenements consisting of 100 rooms.
1921. 1931.
1 room 160 159
2 rooms 157 146
3 rooms 117 105
4 rooms 95 86
Estimated Population.—The Registrar-General's estimate of the resident population
of the Borough at the middle of 1932 is 143,600 persons. The following table shows this
total distributed among the Wards in the proportions recorded at the Census of 1931. These
figures have been used for calculation of the various rates in this report.
The Borough 143,600
Wards—
Queen's Park 13,497
Harrow Road 25,241 North Paddington
Maida Vale 23,064 68,943
Town 7,141
Westbourne 25,021
Church 17,170
Lancaster Gate, West 9,806 South Paddington
Lancaster Gate, East 9,831 74,657
Hyde Park 12,8297
MARRIAGES.
According to provisional figures supplied by the Registrar-General 1,756 marriages were
solemnized in the Borough during 1932, being a rate of 24"4 persons per 1,000 of the
population.