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At the time of the 1921 Census, more than half of the 21,493
residents lived in Purley and Woodcote. Sanderstead housed nearly
4,000 and Kenley about 2,000; Coulsdon had only some 3,300
apart from Cane Hill Hospital.
When the 1931 Census was taken, the total population had
increased to 37,666 and, whereas the number of houses in Purley
and Woodcote had only increased very slightly, the number in
Sanderstead and Coulsdon was about four times as great.
During the following eight years before the war. the rate of
building increased still further. Whereas since 1922 the average
annual increase was about 550 houses, after 1931 it reached an
average of 850, and in the peak years of 1935/36 was over 1,000
and 1,200.(The increase in size of the area during 1933 due to
the alteration of the boundaries brought in 2,547 more acres but
only about 3,000 population). As might be expected the latest
development chiefly affected Sanderstead and Coulsdon East, and
to a less extent Selsdon and Coulsdon West.
Meanwhile the average number of persons per occupied
house, the Institutions being excluded, had decreased from 3.7
in 1915 and 3.9 in 1922, to 3.24 in 1951 and 3.13 in 1956.
Since the war some 3,781 houses have been built, the number
of occupied houses is 2,899 greater and the population must have
increased by at least 9,275. As the 1951 Census population was
63,770 the present population should be quite 68,600 instead of
the 66,460 estimated by the Registrar General.
For record purposes, it is wise to include here the number of
persons residing in the Institutions in the District at the end of
1956:-
Cane Hill 2.400
Netherne 2.122
Russell Hill School 227
Reedham Orphanage 268
Further, in December 1956, the number of occupied houses
was distributed as follows:
Coulsdon East 3,282
Coulsdon West 3.183
Purley 2,628
Woodcote 1,778
Sanderstead North 2.354
Sanderstead South 2,919
Selsdon 1,890
Kenley 1,557
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