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6
The Borough extends from the River Thames, its most northern
limit, southward as far as Kennington Park (Lambeth), and from the Old
Kent Road on the east (Bermondsey) to Bethlem Hospital and Kennington
Road (Lambeth) on the west.
Its area is 1131.5 acres. As a whole it is one of the most densely
populated districts, having 182 persons to the acre, whilst in particular
parts of it, such as the sub-districts of the Old Kent Road and the
Borough Road, the numbers are 281 and 266 respectively. The number
of persons to the acre in portions of the Parish of St. George the Martyr
exceeds that of any other part of the Metropolis.
With the exception of a few patches of clay on the south-western
border, the sub-soil of the Borough is a light yellow sand many feet in
thickness.
The whole of the district may be said to be low-lying. The highest
point is that near St. George's Church at the head of Great Dover Street,
which is about 16.6 feet above the mean sea level, whilst in Rockingham
Street the height is only 4.7 feet. The average level of the Borough is
11.0 feet. Bankside is from 14 to 15 feet, and the level of high water in
the Thames usually stands at an average of 14 feet. Southwark Street
is 12 feet, New Kent Road from 9 to 10 feet, and, Albany Road from 8 to
9 feet above sea level. It will be seen, therefore, that much of the
Borough is usually many feet below the level of the water in the Thames,
and should the "Barrage" scheme of locking up the water to a height of
14 feet above the mean sea level be carried out, our district will suffer
from being more or less waterlogged. Whatever advantages London
may derive from such a scheme, in relation to its port, Southwark must
necessarily return to its pristine marshy condition. It would indeed be
a calamity from which we pray we may be saved.
One of the chief features of the year's change has been the large
number of houses closed in the Borough preparatory to carrying out new
building schemes. The small house property in the Borough is found by
the owners to be unremunerative, owing to the comparatively large sums
of money spent on repairs. In many cases leases have been surrendered
on that account, with the prospect of warehouses being built upon the
sites. It would seem the change from dwelling houses to warehouses
and factories, which has been so conspicuous of late years, is likely to
proceed at a quicker pace than formerly in the northern part of the
district. Should such a condition of things continue the connection of
our Borough with the City will be more intimate than at any previous