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
London County Council 1901
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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| Period. | London. | England and Wales. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | Males. | Females. | |
| 1851.60 | 2.8 | 11.9 | 5.7 | 18.0 |
| 1861.70 | 3.6 | 14.6 | 6.8 | 20.1 |
| 1871.80 | 4.7 | 16..9 | 8.0 | 22.0 |
| 1881.90 | 5.5 | 18.9 | 6.8 | 20.7 |
| 1891 | 4.9 | 17.4 | 5.9 | 19.0 |
| 1892 | 5.2 | 17.7 | 5.9 | 18.7 |
| 1893 | 4.7 | 16.8 | 5.6 | 18.1 |
| 1894 | 4.7 | 16.8 | 5.5 | 18.1 |
| 1895 | 4.4 | 15.9 | 5.2 | 17.4 |
| 1896 | 4.9 | 16.1 | 5.3 | 17.4 |
| 1897 | 4.6 | 16.2 | 5.1 | 17.0 |
| 1898 | 4.8 | 16.3 | 5.1 | 16.8 |
| 1899 | 4.5 | 15.8 | 5.0 | 16.5 |
| 1900 | 4.5 | 15.5 | 5.1 | 16.3 |
Births.
The number of births registered in the administrative county of London in 1901 (52 weeks)
was 131,278, giving a birth rate of 29"0 per 1,000 living per annum ; this is the lowest birth rate
recorded in London since civil registration began, and it is worthy of note in connection with
the diminishing birth rate in London that although at the last census the population of registration
London had increased 7.7 per cent, in the ten years 1891.1901 the number of children under
10 years of age had declined 1*8 per cent., a result to which the declining birth rate has no doubt
contributed.
The birth rate in successive periods has been as follows—
| 1851.60 | 33.6 | 1892 | 30.9* | 1897 | 30.1* |
| 1861.70 | 35.4 | 1893 | 31.0* | 1898 | 297* |
| 1871.80 | 35.4 | 1894 | 30.1* | 1899 | 29.7* |
| 1881.90 | 33.2 | 1895 | 30.6* | 1900 | 29.1* |
| 1891 | 31.8* | 1896 | 30.2* | 1901 | 29.0* |
The corresponding figures for England and "Wales are as follows—
| 1851.60 | 34.2 | 1892 | 30.4 | 1897 | 29.5 |
| 1861.70 | 35.2 | 1893 | 30.7 | 1898 | 29.3 |
| 1871.80 | 35.5 | 1894 | 29.6 | 1899 | 29.1 |
| 1881.90 | 32.5 | 1895 | 30.2 | 1900 | 28.7 |
| 1891 | 31.4 | 1896 | 29.6 | 1901 | 28.5 |
The accompanying diagram (II.) shows the London birth rate in each year since 1850 in
relation to the mean birth rate of the period 1851.1901.
I he following table shows the birth rate in the several metropolitan boroughs in per 1,000 persons living and per 100 married females aged 15.45—
| Metropolitan Boroughs. | Births. | Birth rate per 1,000 living. | Births per 100 married femalei aged 15.45. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddington | 3,360 | 23.4 | 20.4 |
| Kensington | 3,603 | 20.4 | 20.0 |
| Hammersmith | 3,022 | 26.9 | 21.5 |
| Fulham | 4,596 | 33.3 | 23.3 |
| †Chelsea | 1,631 | 22.1 | 20.6 |
| Westminster, City of | 3,232 | 17.8 | 16.9 |
| †St. Marylebone | 4,008 | 30.2 | 27.5 |
| Hampstead | 1,481 | 18.0 | 17.5 |
| St. Pancras | 6,324 | 26.9 | 21.4 |
| Islington | 9,223 | 27.6 | 21.7 |
| Stoke Newington | 1,108 | 21.6 | 18.4 |
| Hackney | 6,344 | 28.9 | 23.9 |
| †Holborn | 1,675 | 28.4 | 24.4 |
| †Finsbury | 3,803 | 37.7 | 29.5 |
| London, Citv of | 365 | 13.7 | 16.2 |
* The rates for these years relate to the Administrative County of London; the rates shown lor years previous to 1891 relate to
the Registration County of London.
† Lying.in hospitals are situated in these district