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
Bexley 1961
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bexley]
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SECTION A.—STATISTICS AND SOCIAL
CONDITIONS OF THE BOROUGH
Area.
4,869 acres.
Population. New Dwellings Erected.
Registrar General's Houses 246
Estimate midyear,
89,670.
| 1951 (Census) | 88,420 | 1951 | 319 |
| 1952 | 88.160 | 1952 | 355 |
| 1953 | 87,990 | 1953 | 65 |
| 1954 | 88,180 | 1954 | 503 |
| 1955 | 88,780 | 1955 | 529 |
| 1956 | 89,300 | 1956 | 423 |
| 1957 | 90,020 | 1957 | 384 |
| 1958 | 90,330 | 1958 | 313 |
| 1959 | 90,500 | 1959 | 287 |
| 1960 | 91,000 | 1960 | 367 |
Number of inhabited houses at the end of 1961
(according to Rate Books) approximately 28,857
Rateable Value £1,346,240
Sum represented by a penny rate £5,508
Unemployment. Men Women Boys Girls Total
December 31st, 1960 178 43 19 10 250
December 31st, 1961 161 60 5 14 240
Social Conditions and Amenities.
The Borough of Bexley continues to be a healthy ;
residential district and is specially favoured in that it has
ample open spaces and recreational facilities for its
inhabitants. Like other districts, however, whose population
has increased considerably, housing shortages, at present,
constitute the main barrier to the health of a relatively
large number of its citizens. The housing programme has
been accelerated as much as possible and it can only be
hoped that the housing position of the Borough will gradually
reach the optimum standards for which the Council
are striving.
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