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57
Population.
The official method of estimating the population
in any year between two census enumerations, is
based on the assumption that the rate of increase is the
same as in the previous decade. Accepting this basis of
calculation, the estimated population of Clapham for the
middle of 1886 is 41,945. It is highly probable, however,
that the population of Clapham has increased in a
much greater proportion since 1881 than in the ten
years before that period, and that the death rates, &c.,
are therefore really lower than appears on the basis of
the official population.
Births and
Birth rate.
The number of births registered during 1886
was 1,071, of which 530 were boys and 541
girls. The annual birth-rate was 25.53 of the estimated
population (see Table I.), which with the exception
of last year, was the lowest for ten years. The birth
rate for the whole Metropolis was 32.3, which was the
lowest since the year 1850.
This considerable diminution in the birth-rate must
be allowed to have had some influence in producing the
very favorable death rate of Clapham. A low birth rate
is necessarily followed by a smaller proportion of children
under 5 years of age; and as will be afterwards seen, the
mortality at these ages is higher than at any subsequent
period of life. The low birth-rate by no means however
completely accounts for the low death-rate, which must
be chiefly ascribed to improved vital conditions of the
sub-district.
Deaths and
Death-rate.
During the year 1886,545 deaths—255 of
males and 290 of females, were registered in the
sub-district.
These are equivalent to an annual death