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 1911
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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4
Annual Report of the London County Council, 1911.
Birth-rates
England and
Wales.
The corresponding figures for England and Wales, which show a similar decline to that noted
in London, are as follows:—
The corresponding figures for England and Wales, which show a similar decline to that noted in London, are as follows:—
| Period. | Birth-rate per 1,000 persons living. (a) | Period. | Birth-rate per 1,000 persons living. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851-1860 | 341 | 1903 | 28.5 |
| 1861-1870 | 35.2 | 1904 | 28.0 |
| 1871-1880 | 35.4 | 1905 | 27.3 |
| 1881-1890 | 32.4 | 1906 | 27.2 |
| 1891-1900 | 29.9 | 1907 | 26.5 |
| 1901-1910 | 27.2 | 1908 | 26.7 |
| 1909 | 25.8 | ||
| 1901 | 28.5 | 1910 | 25.1 |
| 1902 | 28.5 | 1911 | 24.4 |
The following table enables comparison to be made of the birth-rate in London and Greater
London with that of the chief towns of England; it should be borne in mind, however, that the London
figures alone are fully corrected by the exclusion of births within the County to mothers not usually resident in London.
Birth-rates
in large
English
towns.
Were births in other towns similarly corrected considerable modification of thes'
rates might result
Were births in other towns similarly corrected considerable modification of thes'
rates might result
| Town. | 1906-10. | 1911. | Town. | 1906-10. | 1911. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 26.5a | 24.8a | Bradford | 19.9 | 19.0 |
| Greater London | 26.3 | 24.4 | Hull | 29.7 | 28.6 |
| Liverpool | 32.1 | 30.2 | Newcastle-on-Tyne | 30.4 | 26.6 |
| Manchester | 28.6 | 26.2 | Nottingham | 26.6 | 24.5 |
| Birmingham | 29.5 | 28.1 | Stoke-on-Trent | .. | 31.5 |
| Leeds | 26.0 | 23.8 | Portsmouth | 26.7 | 25.0 |
| Sheffield | 30.5 | 27.8 | Salford | 29.9 | 27.2 |
| Bristol | 24.8 | 21.8 | Leicester | 24.7 | 22.7 |
| West Ham | 31.4 | 30.0 |
It will be seen from the following table that the decrease in birth-rate apparent in London
is shared by all the chief foreign capitals; but that the London birth-rate compares not
unfavourably with that of many of the largest of these capital towns.
Birth-rates
in foreign
towns,
There is considerable difference
in practice as to the registration and allocation of births occurring in these for sign towns, and the rate
shown must, therefore, be regarded as affording material for only approximate comparison.
There is considerable difference in practice as to the registration and allocation of births occurring in these for sign towns, and the rate shown must, therefore, be regarded as affording material for only approximate comparison.
| Town. | 1906-10. | 1911. | Town. | 1906-10. | 1911. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 26.5a | 24.8a | St. Petersburg | 29.3 | 28.2 |
| Paris | 18.3 | 17.2 | Berlin | 23.5 | 20.8 |
| Brussels | 17.3 | 17.1 | Vienna | 23.7 | 20.0 |
| Amsterdam | 24.7 | 22.7 | New York | 27.5 | 27.0 |
| Copenhagen | 27.5 | 24.6 | |||
| Stockholm | 24.3 | 22.0 |
The diagram (B.) facing page 3 shows the London birth-rate in each year since 1850, in
relation to the mean birth-rate of the period 1851-1911. In connection with this diagram it should be
noted that the registration of births was not made compulsory until the beginning of 1875; before that
year many births were probably unregistered. From the year 1885 onwards the number of births
has been corrected as far as possible by the exclusion of those which occurred in the chief lying-in
institutions in cases where the mother resided outside the County of London.
(a) See footnote (b) page 2,