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5
As a general rule the ratio of females to males is higher in
those districts where the percentage of females who are not
occupied in any extra, domestic work is also high. The only
exception is Edmonton. But Edmonton is also exceptional in
another respect as far as sex distribution is concerned.
In all other districts the preponderance of male births is
reflected in the figures for ages below four years of age. The
heavier death-rate amongst males, however, results in equalising
the sexes by about the tenth year, after which the females become
more numerous than the males.
In the whole county, the excess of females beyond the age of
20 is more marked than it was in 1911. Even at ages over 40 the
increase in the excess is marked; but the bulk, as was to be
expected, lies within the age period 20—39 years.
The character of the district seems to have very little influence
upon the sex distribution under four years of age. The figures for
all the districts are fairly constant with the exception of Edmonton.
The numbers of females to every 1,000 males under four years were
as follows:—
Acton 977
Ealing 980
Edmonton 1,000
Enfield 959
Hendon 944
Hornsey 984
Tottenham 951
Willesden 971
Wood Green 986
Interest in sex proportions, however, lies mainly in their
incidence in the unmarried and therefore marriageable population;
and the changes dealt with above in respect of the whole population
have accordingly been extended to show the effect on the
marriageable (i.e. the single and widowed) portion for age periods
above age 20. The bulk of the excess is now shown to fall at ages
over 40, notwithstanding the fact that very large increases in the
excess have, owing to the events in the past decade, occurred at
ages between 20 and 40. In the whole county the ratio of
unmarried females per 1,000 unmarried males increased from 1,216
to 1,300 in the age group 20—29, and from 1,594 to 2,031 in the age
group 30—39. In the age group 40—49 the ratio had increased to
2,473 to 1,000. In Acton the ratio in the two younger age groups
was lower than in the county and higher in the age group 40—49.
In the age group 20—29, the ratio was 1,245 unmarried females to
1,000 unmarried males; in the age group 30—39, the ratio was 1,865
"to 1,000, and in the age group 40—49 years, it was 2.547 to 1,000.
In some of the districts it was much higher; for instance in
Ealing the figures were:—