London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1936

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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Table 7.—Migration—County of London—1861-1931, (+ = migration in, — = migration out.)

Intercensal periodSexMigration ofNet movement
London bornBorn elsewhere
1861-71Male-156,936+205,890+ 48,954
Female-142,669+214,877+ 72,208
Persons-299,605+420,767+ 121,162
1871-81Male-221,715+267,104+ 45,389
Female-213,563+277,758+ 64,195
Persons-435,278+544,862+ 109,584
1881-91Male-224,599+ 160,574- 64,025
Female-215,732+ 164,974- 50,758
Persons-440,331+325,548-114,783
1891-1901Male-297,108+ 193,348-103,760
Female-271,669+ 193,497- 78,172
Persons-568,777+ 386,845-181,932
1901-11Male-348,083+ 63,542-284,541
Female-354,208+ 84,756-269,452
Persons-702,291+ 148,298-553,993
1911-21*Male-242,417+ 79,767-162,650
Female-255,181+ 95,827-159,354
*Persons-497,598+ 175,594-322,004
1921-31Male-196,611+ 44,767-151,844
Female-231,889+ 52,757-179,132
Persons-428,500+ 97,524-330,976

* Excluding war losses, estimated at 74,000.
It will be noticed that there are two well-defined streams of migration: (i) an outward
movement of London-born and (ii) an influx of those born outside the county area. The
former, as has been shown in a previous paper, mainly consists of children and married adults,
while the latter comprises young persons of both sexes seeking employment within the county.
At the beginning of the period, while London was still growing, the latter movement
exceeded the former, but some time after 1881, a saturation point was reached, and afterwards
the outward movement of the London-born rapidly outpaced the inward. As has also been
previously observed, this net movement out corresponds with the rapid growth of the outer
ring. The influx of young people attained a maximum during the period 1871-81, while
that of the outward movement of the London-born was reached some time during the period
1901-1911. There was, however, a further spurt in the former during the years 1891-1901, and
again in the period 1911-21, the decennium in which the war occurred, but since 1921 there has
apparently been a drop of about 45 per cent. in the number of persons entering the county.
Another point to note is that, whereas at first the outward movement of London-born males
was in excess of that of the females, at the end of the period the position was reversed, the change
occurring during the period 1901-11. On the other hand, the influx of females has always been
in excess of that of males.
When the destination of the London-born is examined it can be shown that these have
been absorbed mainly by the suburbs comprising the outer ring, and to a lesser extent by the
surrounding home counties. A smaller proportion has, of course, moved to other parts of the
British Isles or emigrated.