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3
A.—Vital Statistics.
The population of London County at the census of 19-20th June, 1921, was 4,483,249 or 38,436
less than at the census of 1911. The total includes members of the armed forces in London, but does
not include Londoners on service elsewhere.
The census shows that the decentralisation of the population, which commenced some twenty
or thirty years ago still continues, and in the principal areas in which dwellings have been replaced by
commercial premises, namely the City of London, Holborn, Finsbury, Stepney, Westminster and St.
Marylebone there was a decrease in population of 87,364 between 1911 and 1921; this is about the
same as in the previous decennium.
Only two boroughs north of the Thames, Fulham and Hammersmith, show any substantial
increase during the past twenty years, the increase being 38,703. The total population north of the
Thames has fallen in the past twenty years by 201,151, while on the south (including North Woolwich)
there has been an increase of 148,133. During the same period there has been an increase in the
population of the outer ring of Greater London of 947,784 of which 699,386 belonged to the segment north
of the river. The effect of the movement of population indicated by these figures upon the death rates
is difficult to assess, but has to be borne in mind especially in comparing rates in the inner areas of
decreasing population with those of the growing outer districts.
The number of families or separate occupiers in 1921, was returned as 1,141,269 or 107,408 more
than in 1911. As in the case of the total population the inner areas showed decrease or only slight increase,
the total increase being mainly contributed by the outlying boroughs, especially Hampstead, Lewisham
and Wandsworth.
The above figures are provisional, and may be modified in the final results, which, however, will
not be available until later in the year.
The excess of births over deaths in London between the census of 1911 and that of 1921, was about
290,000. Up to the end of 1914, it was about 170,000; from then to the end of 1919 about 35,000; and
thereafter up to the census of last year about 85,000. The figures are only approximate as exact data
relating to war losses of the London population are not available.
The marriages registered in London during 1921, numbered 43,921 as compared with 49,185 in
1920, the approximate marriage rate being 19.5 per thousand of population. It will be seen from the
diagram facing this page that the marriage rate for 1921 was only slightly above the average of the
last seventy-one years.
Marriages.
The births in London during 1921, numbered 99,839, the corresponding figure for 1920 being
120,529. The birth-rate was 22.1 per thousand of population. The births of 1921, show a substantial
decline upon those of the preceding year, and are below the level to which they had fallen just before the
war. The births registered during the first quarter of this year numbered 25,576 as compared with
26,170 last year. The greatest decrease in the births in 1921, upon 1920, occurred in the poorer populations,
the decrease varying from 22 per cent. in Bethnal Green to 12 per cent. in Stoke Newington.
Births.
The deaths in the civil population of London during 1921, numbered 56,259, as compared with
57,232 in 1920. The death-rate per thousand living was 12.5 as compared with 12.6 in 1920. This is
the lowest death-rate recorded in London. It is calculated upon the census population of June, 1921,
approximately corrected by the inclusion of London residents temporarily absent at the date of the
census. It may be observed with regard to the London death-rate that although the population has remained
practically stationary during the past twenty years so far as actual number is concerned, its
constitution has undergone considerable change. In the twenty years the births among Londoners have
exceeded the deaths in London by more than 800,000. This number of Londoners and more besides
have moved out of the county ; more than this number, because London attracts young adults of both
sexes, but especially young females (for domestic service) from other parts, and the total number of
immigrants in the past twenty years roughly corresponds with the number of outgoing Londoners.
Owing to this changing constitution of the population the death rate does not measure the risk of life
in London. About seventy per cent. of the population of London in 1911 were born in the county: that
is to say nearly one and a half millions were immigrants. In the decennium 1901-1910, the London
death-rate averaged 15.6 per thousand, but the life-table for London shows that the death-rate of a
population of stationary age constitution in the ten years was 20.4 per thousand.
Deaths..

The increase in deaths at age 1-2 years results from the high birth-rate of 1920, and much
of the decrease shown at ages 0-1 and 2-5 results from the reduced births of 1921, and the war-years.
The death-rate among infants under one year of age was 81 per thousand births, the rates for
1920 and 1919 being 76 and 85 respectively. It will be seen from the table given below that there was
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