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4
VITAL STATISTICS
Population
the total home population of the County in the middle of 1952, according to the
Registrar-General, was 3,363,000, compared with 3,358,000 in 1951.
Corresponding estimates for metropolitan boroughs are shown in Table 2 on
page 173 and the rates given in this annual report are calculated upon these figures.
Table 1 shows the age distribution of the population, as estimated by the RegistrarGeneral,
at the middle of each census year since 1921 and of each more recent year.
The total numbers have now been fairly stable for several years at about 3⅓ million, a
figure considerably lower than the 4 million odd which was the size of the County's
population for the first twenty-five years of this century. It would be rash, however,
to make any prediction as to how these numbers will vary in future. The population
of the County of London, as is probably the case with the central area of any other
great conurbation, differs from the population of the country as a whole, in that the
effects of migration upon its constitution are constantly present and far from negligible;
changes in the pattern of migration, which can easily occur on a large scale in such an
area, may have very rapid effects. The large movements of population, to which
London has been subject since 1939, have, however, left unaffected one of the more
important contemporary aspects of population change—the constantly increasing
proportion of elderly people. The figures below, based on the Census reports, show
the proportion of the total population of London aged over 65 to have risen from just
over 4 per cent. in 1901 to over 11 per cent. in 1951, and this rise follows, slightly more
steeply, the corresponding rise in the country as a whole.

Migration
In the report for 1951 detailed estimates were given, by kind permission of the
London Transport Executive, of the diurnal movement into and out of the central
areas of the County; the publication of the London volume of the 1951 Census, which
is expected soon, will, it is hoped, as in the 1921 Census, provide an even more detailed
picture of that part of the daily movement contributed by travel to and from work.
It does not need emphasising that a daily influx on the scale which is characteristic of
London affects considerably the epidemiological characteristics of the area; nor should
it be forgotten that many of the Health Authority's services are provided to the day
time, no less than to the resident, population.
The resident population itself is subject to a continuous process of change by families
moving house into, out of and within the County. The total number of families who
move in a year is unknown; but among children under five there are currently at least
30,000 movements a year, which is about 12 per cent. of the population under five, and
represents change of residence by about 24,000 families ; these movements show a
net balance of about 4,000 children a year outward from the County, or a net loss each
year of 2 per cent. of the population under five. The net percentage rates of migration
of children of school age can be deduced from the table below which shows for each
year of age the difference between the number on school rolls in January, 1952, and in
January, 1953, expressed as a percentage of the numbers in January, 1952.