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9
1912
POPULATION OF THE BOROUGH, THE SUB-REGISTRATION
DISTRICTS, THEIR AREAS AND DENSITIES.
Population.—The population of the Borough in 1912, estimated on the
decrease which occurred in it during the intercensal period 1901-11, was
326,398 persons, of whom 155,419 were males and 170,979 females. These
figures show a decrease of 482 males and 523 females, or a total of 1,005
persons as compared with those of the preceding year. It is very difficult,
however, to aver positively that they are exact; because, indeed, it seems
probable that they are not. The fact that more houses are now occupied in
Islington than at the time the census was taken causes them to be looked upon
with suspicion. This is very unfortunate, as it is most unsatisfactory that
there should be a doubt as to the exact number of the population so early
in the intercensal period (1911-20), for such uncertainty must grow more and
more, as the years pass, before the next census is taken ; and consequently a
suspicion may be cast on the correctness of the death, marriage and birth
rates, which are all based on population. The Registrar-General, will, however,
continue to found his calculations on a decreasing population, unless
some very strong evidence can be produced to show that such is not the case.
The fact is, that a ten years' interval between the censuses is too long, at least
where great communities are concerned, and it would be well that in such
cases a quinquennial numbering of the people should be made. If this were
done—and it was done in London in 1896—all doubts would be allayed,
and we would then be able to know with almost absolute certainty how the
health matters of the borough stood. If it should turn out at the end of ten
years that the population of Islington is not deceasing, then clearly all the
death, birth and other rates that had been recorded would have been too
high, and the good record of Islington would suffer. The question of taking
a merely numerical census in 1916 is well worth the consideration of the
Local Government Board, It need only show the numbers, sexes and ages
of the population. It was understood in 1896 that a quinquennial census would
be made in London in future, but for some reason the resolve was not
followed up. As the equalization of the rates is based on the populations of the
Metropolitan Boroughs, as estimated by the Registrar-General, this question
may prove of importance to Islington. These remarks have been prompted
by the fact that whereas just previous to the taking of the last census, i.e., on
the night of March 31st, 1911, there were only 2,114 empty houses; on March
31st, 1913, this figure was reduced to 1,741, and it is daily becoming less.
These are remarkable figures, which clearly indicate that the tide of adversity