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5. As respects our population between the ages of 15 and 60 years—the labouring
period of life—the number of females in our parish is proportionately to the males very
much larger than in London at large. Between 15 and 20 years our females exceed every
1,000 males in number by 436; between 20 and 25 years they exceed every 1,000
males in number by 450; and then, as the quinquenniads of age succeed, the disproportion
between the sexes gradually lessens. (Table VIII.)
6. Compared with London generally, the proportion of our population not bom in
any part of the metropolis is larger both for the ages below and for those over 20
years. Under 20 years our excess of provincials and foreigners over the metropolis
generally is only remarkable in the case of the females, but over 20 years it is
observed in both sexes. More than half the adult population was not born in
London. (Table VII.)
7. And the census tables read intelligently will inform us as to the ages at which
the immigration mostly takes place. This may be gathered by a comparison between
the numbers living at consecutive quinquenniads of age, for where the number in
one quinquenniad exceeds that in the preceding quinquenniad, the inference of an
immigration at that period of life is inevitable, for the tendency is towards diminution
of numbers by mortality as age advances. I have made such a comparison, and the
inference from it is that the principal influx of male provincials into Islington takes
place between the ages of 20 and 25 years. The influx between these ages appears to
be nearly four times as large as that into London generally. The influx of female
provincials into Islington is altogether very much larger than of males, and takes
place chiefly between the ages of 15 and 20 years: there are more males than females
entering from outside between 20 and 25 years. There is this further to be remarked,
that whereas, speaking in general terms, the influx of female provincials is much
smaller in London at large than with ns between the ages of 15 and 25 years, there
is also a further difference, namely, that the greater number come into London at
the later and not at the earlier quinquenniad of age as with us. (Tables XI and XII.)
I have already shown (Report for 1860) how variations in the amount of
immigration from outside affect our death-rate.
8. The proportion of workers (bread and comfort earners) in our male population
is much the same as in the metropolis generally, viz. 973 per 1000 over 20 years of
age. I have no means of estimating those industrially occupied below this age. As
to the females over 20 years of age in Islington (including 1037 who being wives of
innkeepers, publicans, lodging-housekeepers, shoemakers, shopkeepers, butchers,
and farmers, are held by the compilers of the census return to be engaged in their
husband's occupation) 19572 or 390 per 1000 were in 1861 engaged in some industrial
bread-earning occupation. This is a comparatively small proportion, for in London
generally the proportion of workers is 432 per 1000. (Table X.)
An excess of females in a population, and especially of non-working females,
(if there be no special local causes for it) is an index of material prosperity.
In our instance an equal number of bread-earning males are supporting in
Islington a larger number of non-working females than in London generally.
And material prosperity conduces to healthfulness.