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9
County Borough of Croydon.
HEPORT
of the
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.
For the Year 1905.
A.—VITAL STATISTICS.
THE POPULATION at the Census of 1891 was 102,695, and had
increased at the Census of 1901 to 133,895.
The population at the middle of 1905, according to the
estimate of the Registrar-General, was 147,704.
The number of inhabited houses cannot be ascertained with
accuracy. At the last Census, in April, 1901, it was 25,726. From
this date until June 30th, 1905, 5219 houses have been passed by
the Borough Engineer as fit for occupation. The total number of
inhabitable houses has, thefore, been increased to that extent. It is,
however, a matter of common knowledge that the number of vacant
houses in Croydon is larger than for some years past, being about 10
per cent., as compared with about 5 per cent. in 1901. Taking
this into consideration it is probable that the number of inhabited
houses in June, 1905, was about 29,397. If the population per
house remains the same as in 1901, this will give a total population
of 152,864, or more than 5,000 in excess of the Registrar General's
figure. This estimate, however, cannot be given with any great
amount of confidence, and it is to be regretted that the Local
Government Board has not arranged for a quinquennial census, in
order that vital statistics might be prepared with greater accuracy.
In the meantime the Registrar-General's figure is used as the basis
of the rates calculated in this report.
THE AREA of the Borough is 9,012 acres, and the density of
the population was 16.4 per acre.