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Census 1961
Tables are included in this report which set out as far as possible
a comparison between the statistics derived from the Census taken in
1961 and those from the census of 1951. Reference has already been made
to the gradual diminution in the total population and it will be seen
from the tables that whereas in 1951 the figure was 97,221 giving an
average of 85.9 persons per acre,, in 1961 the total population was 86,249,
an average of 76.3 persons per acre. In St. John's Ward this figure
rose to 122.4 per acre. The number of private families fell from 32,052
to 29,281 while the number of structurally separate dwellings occupied
increased from 23, 082 to 24, 540. The number of occupied rooms, however,
decreased with the result that there was only a very slight decrease in
the number of persons per room. The figures in table 5 show that there
has been a change during the inter-censal years in the percentage of
persons over 65 years of age, which is now 13.9 per cent as compared
with 10.7 per cent in 1961. Persons of pensionable age in 1961 totalled
12,008 of which 8,542 were female.
The details of the sanitary arrangements of private households set
out in table 6 show the amount of ground which remains to be covered
before each household has the exclusive use of a bath or water closet.
In the year 1961 according to the Census Report, no fewer than 17,132
households out of a total of 28,900 or 59 per cent, had no bath. 203
households were entirely without a toilet and in 7,335 households the
toilet was shared.
Only some three thousand of Southwark residents were bom outside
the British Isles.
Of these approximately one third came from Commonwealth countries,
one third from Asia, and one third from Europe, the largest single group
being from Cyprus.
Infectious Disease
The experience of infectious disease in Southward during the year
1962 was satisfactory. Measles was not prevalent. There were no cases
of diphtheria, nor typhoid. Dysentery was reported too frequently and
although not reaching the level of 1960 there were rather more cases
than in 1961. Although highly infectious dysentery is essentially preventable
and as improved sanitary facilities are provided in houses,
and in schools, more attention should be paid to the washing of hands
after visiting the toilet and before meals. Only sixteen cases of
whooping cough were notified, by far the lowest number in the last decade.
Neither of the two children who developed poliomyelitis had been
immunised against the condition. In one case there was some degree of
residual paralysis of the lower limbs.
Immunisation is now available against diphtheria, whooping cough
tetanus, poliomyelitis, smallpox and tuberculosis. Although the vaccine
against poliomyelitis can now be taken by mouth the list of injections
required to maintain immunity against the various infectious diseases