London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of Westminster 1927
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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3
The various causes which had been put forward to account for the
falling birth-rate were discussed in the report of last year. It might also
be noted that the facilities now provided for the emigration of young
adults of both sexes to lands of more hopeful opportunities carry away
annually from our shores some 60,000 potential parents. When this
country has recovered a measure of its former industrial prosperity it is
not unlikely that the birth-rate will cease to decline and may possibly
advance considerably beyond the 1918 rates. A similar fall in the birthrate
is being experienced in Germany and in some other European States.
It will be observed from Tables I and II that the registered births are
207 fewer than last year; the legitimate births were 194, and the
illegitimate 13 fewer. The percentage reductions may be expressed as
follows:— Per cent.
Legitimate 13.4
Illegitimate 8.3
The comparative totals are:—
Males
Females
1926.
Legitimate.
723
726
1927.
Legitimate.
638
617
Males
Females
Illegitimate.
74
83
1,606
Illegitimate.
74
70
1,399
Table I.
| Births Registered | Births Notified. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Westminster. | Belong elsewhere. | Born out of Westminster. | Net. | Total. | Alive. | Stillborn. | |
| 1910 | 2,365 | 49 | 276 | 2.592 | 1,674 | 1,621 | 53 |
| 1911 | 2,110 | 60 | 311 | 2,361 | 1,562 | 1,507 | 55 |
| 1912 | 2,134 | 49 | 264 | 2,349 | 1,501 | 1,469 | 34 |
| 1913 | 1,992 | 35 | 276 | 2,233 | 1,462 | 1,424 | 38 |
| 1914 | 1,860 | 15 | 312 | 2,157 | 1,386 | 1,347 | 39 |
| 1915 | 1,721 | 71 | 329 | 1,979 | 1,292 | 1,250 | 42 |
| 1010 | 1,643 | 175 | 342 | 1,810 | 1,330 | 1,288 | 42 |
| 1917 | 1,325 | 159 | 378 | 1,544 | 1,020 | 985 | 35 |
| 1918 | 1,138 | 146 | 458 | 1,459 | 911 | 8S8 | 23 |
| 1919 | 1,210 | 98 | 480 | 1,592 | 1,004 | 977 | 27 |
| 1920 | 1,731 | 89 | 618 | 2.260 | 1,327 | 1,289 | 38 |
| 1921 | 1,418 | 78 | 579 | 1,919 | 1,049 | 1,032 | 17 |
| 1922 | 1,347 | 81 | 629 | 1,895 | 1,046 | 1,020 | 26 |
| 1923 | 1,361 | 194 | 585 | 1,752 | 1,045 | 1,016 | 29 |
| 1924 | 1,447 | 344 | 521 | 1,624 | 1,250 | 1.214 | 36 |
| 1925 | 1,519 | 481 | 497 | 1.535 | 1,435 | 1.3S5 | 50 |
| 1926 | 1,635 | 600 | 571 | 1,606 | 1,402 | 1,355 | 47 |
| 1927 | 1,375 | 552* | 576 | 1,399 | • 1,205 | 1,169 | 36 |
*20 of this number are registrations under the Legitimacy Act, and cannot be
classified as births.