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
Marylebone 1920
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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7
SOCIAL CONDITIONS,
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES,
AND FOOD.
POPULATION.
The population of the Borough at the last Census, enumerated on the night of
Sunday, the 2nd April, 1911, was found to be 118,221, distributed in the registration
Sub-Districts as follows :—
The Borough, All Souls, St. Mary, Christ Church, St. John.
118,221. 29,485. 32,126. 36,544. 20,066.
The previous Census taken in 1901 enumerated the population at 133,301, so
that during the period of ten years there was a decrease of 15,080. What the result
of the Census due to be taken in 1921 may be, it is impossible to say; it is interesting
to note, however, as shown in the table below that in 1920 the population estimated
by the Registrar-General's method was found to be higher than in any year since
1914. Judging from the marked overcrowding that is known to exist it may well be
that something not far short of the 1911 figure will be returned in 1921.
The following table shows in addition to the estimated population for the whole
borough that ot each of the registration sub-districre.
These last having been worked out by proportion are only very approximate.
| Year. | The Borough. | All Souls. | St. Mary. | Christ Church. | St. John. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | 118,221 | 29,485 | 32,126 | 36,544 | 20,066 |
| 1912 | 116,155 | 28,971 | 31,566 | 35,903 | 19,715 |
| 1913 | 114,532 | 28,567 | 31,124 | 35,402 | 19,439 |
| 1914 | 112,892 | 28,158 | 30,678 | 34,895 | 19,161 |
| 1915 | 100,260 | 25,002 | 27,260 | 30,901 | 17,015 |
| 1916 | 98,573 | 24,540 | 26,892 | 30,403 | 16,738 |
| 1917 | 92,796 | 23,098 | 25,334 | 28,621 | 15,752 |
| 1918 | 98,526 | 24,528 | 26,880 | 30,391 | 16,727 |
| 1919 | 97,953 | 24,381 | 26,731 | 30,210 | 16,631 |
| 1920 | 101,856 | 25,352 | 27,796 | 31,414 | 17,294 |
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES.
Water.
As usual, complaints as to water supply, either as regards quantity or quality,
were few. All were dealt with, and a remedy found.
Water Supply cut off.—In accordance with the requirements of the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891, Section 49 (l), the Metropolitan Water Board reported
that the water had been cut off in three premises. This is the lowest number for a
considerable period. The reasons for discontinuing the supply were: waste of
water, two ; non-payment of rate, one.
In the event of the premises being a tenement house, action was taken
immediately on receipt of the Board's notice, in order to secure that the tenants
should suffer no hardship as a result of being deprived of water.
Cisterns.—The bulk of the houses in the Borough, in accordance with the
requirement of the Water Board, are provided with a cistern, and though in a
considerable percentage water for drinking purposes is drawn from the main, there
are still many in which supplies for all purposes are obtained from the cistern. In many
cases this leaves much to be desired, both as regards situation and accessibility, and