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At the last census the population of Hammersmith consisted of male persons in the proportion
of 46*95 per cent., and female persons 53 03 per cent. The age and sex distribution of the

In Hammersmith the proportion of males in the working period of life is greater than in
London and the proportion of females greater at 35 years of age and upwards.

The birth rate in Hammersmith has therefore been lower than in London.
In the following table are the rates per 1,000 persons living of deaths from all causes, and
from the principal zymotic diseases (namely, smallpox, measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, typhus,
enteric and ill-defined fevers, diarrhoea), and the infantile death-rate per 1,000 births. For com-
parative purposes the corresponding rates for London as a whole, and for the two adjoining
districts of Kensington and Fulham, are also given—
General death rate per
1,000 living.*
Zymotic death rate per
1,000 living.
Deaths under 1 year of
age per 1,000 births.
1890-9
1900
1890-9
1900
1890-9
1900
Hammersmith
19.5
181
2.66
2.23
169
162
London
20.7
19.8
2.72
2.23
159
158
Kensington
18.7
17.4
1.99
1.66
172
180
Fulham
19.9
18.6
3.39
2.91
172
147
* These rates are corrected for age and sex distribution.
The death rate from all causes and the zymotic death rate has been lower in Hammersmith
than in London, but the infantile mortality greater.
Condition of houses.— The houses in Hammersmith are for the most part two storeys
high. Some of them have half-basement floors, but a large number contain only ground and
first floor rooms. In the main thoroughfares and here and there in other streets three storey
premises exist. In some parts are to be seen houses of greater age than the majority of
houses in the district. These are of the cottage type, and were evidently in existence at the
time when the district was semi-rural in character. They are chiefly to be found in the
southern or river portion of Hammersmith. Within recent years some big block buildings
have been erected for flats, and on the east side of Fulham Palace-road an extensive group of
artisans' dwellings has lately been constructed by the Guinness Trust. A large building
known as Rowton House, for the use of men, and capable of accommodating some eight hundred
persons, has also been erected in Hammersmith-road, near to its junction with the
Broadway.
The houses generally are situated in streets of a width ample for affording sufficient space
for purposes of light and ventilation, and are provided at the rear with adequate yard space.
The existence of back-to-back houses or of houses without rear yard space is exceptional. Of
the former there are four separate groups containing in all eight cottages in St. Ann's-road, and a
group of four cottages in Rose and Crown-lane, a narrow footway on the south side of Hammersmith-road.
Of the latter, there are a few instances, namely, Vine-cottages, Simpson's-cottages,
Albert-place, and some houses in Aspen-place. These premises, however, have ample
open space in front. There are not, in my opinion, in the district at the present time any
well-marked groups of houses, courts, and alleys, in which, owing to the narrowness, closeness
and bad arrangement or bad condition of the streets and houses or groups of houses, or the
want of light, air, ventilation and proper conveniences, the conditions are such as call for
action under the Housing of the Working Classes Act.
During the course of my inspection of the district I visited 526 inhabited houses, and
regarding these, I made note of the existence of the following defective conditions:—Rooms,
passages or staircases in need of cleansing in 86 instances, dilapidations of plastering, floors,