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
City of London 1921
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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DENSITY (1921).
City of London, Registration District, at night 20.2 persons to an acre.
,, ,, ,, ,, during the day *562.1 ,, ,,
Registration London, at night 59.8 ,, ,,
* This figure refers only to persons " actively engaged in the City during the daytime," and is based upon
a Census taken in May, 1911.
ANNUAL RATEABLE VALUE.
The rateable value of property within the administrative county of London
(excluding the City) was £48,708,751 on 6th April, 1921 ; whilst on the same date
the corresponding rateable value of property in the City of London was £6,255,361
or about one-eighth of the whole County.
POPULATION.
The undermentioned figures are extracted from the Preliminary Report of
the Registrar-General on the Census of England and Wales, 1921 :—
Area, Inhabited Houses Population.
Statute
Acres 1911. 1921. 1911. 1921
City of London 678 2,784 —†19,657 13,706
These figures represent the population on the nights of the 3rd April, 1911,
and the 19th June, 1921.
For Registration, Parliamentary and Municipal purposes the boundaries of the
Citv are co-terminus.
The following table shows the progressive decline which has taken place since 1861 in the number of inhabitants who reside within the City boundaries, and the progressive increase in the number of workers who are daily employed in the City :—
| Year. | Imperial Census. Night Population. | City Census. Day Population. |
|---|---|---|
| 1861 | 112,063 | — |
| 1866 | — | 170,133 |
| 1871 | 75,983 | — |
| 1881 | 51,405 | 261,061 |
| 1891 | 37,705 | 301,384 |
| 1901 | 26,923 | — |
| 1911 | 19,657 | 364,061 |
| 1921 | 13,706 | — |
There is now only one registration district in the City. This comprises the City
Area, and the population therein for the year 1921 is 13,706.
The day Census taken in 1911 showed that the day population was 364,061
persons, and also that 1,077,155 persons and 94,095 vehicles entered and left the
City on the day the count was taken.
† No. of Inhabited Houses not included in Preliminary Report.
POPULATION AND HOUSING.
No new observations are called for in respect of housing other than that a
systematic inspection is now being made of every house and a higher standard of
efficiency is now being demanded than was the case during the war and immediately
after the armistice. The chief difficulty in the City is that houses are sub-let to
persons of no financial standing who farm them out room by room and make a
profit which in some cases is the main income of the person, and when cleansing is
called for it becomes a matter of difficulty to get the work carried out. I am
strongly of opinion, in view of the fact that the Corporation has no control over
the owner and the letting, that where houses are farmed out in this manner, the
owner should be made responsible in cases where his tenant fails to comply with
the byelaws. The existing byelaws relating to sanitary conveniences and appliances
are now under consideration and it is hoped that in a short time modifications
will be submitted which may remove many of the difficulties which now exist.
In addition,byelaws under section 26 of the Housing, Town Planning Act, 1919,
are under consideration. These to a certain extent will, it is hoped, improve the
conditions of sub-let houses.