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10
Marriages
When supplying these figures Mr. Stevens, the Croydon
Superintendent Registrar, kindly analysed recent trends and
commented "Of the total number of persons giving me notice of
intention to marry at either Church or Register Office in the
year 1954, 13.8% were under the age of 21 years rising in 1959
to 18.03%".
The number of marriages solemnised was 1,888, compared with
1,827 in 1958, 1,962 in 1957, 1,947 in 1956, 2,076 in 1955,
1,882 in 1954, 1,987 in 1953, 1,993 in 1952, 1,960 in 1951,
2,051 in 1950 and 2,066 in 1949. 823 were solemnised in Established
Churches, 440 in other places of worship, none by Jewish
Ritual and 625 in the Register Office.
Births
The live births registered were 3,529 legitimate and 276
illegitimate. The birth-rate consequently was 15.3 per 1,000
population. For England and Wales the rate was 16.5.
The illegitimate births in Croydon were 7.3 per cent of the
total as compared with 5 per cent in 1958, 5.5 in 1957, 4.3 in
1956, 4.8 in 1955, 5.5 in 1954 and 1953 and 5.3 in 1952.
The live male births numbered 1,890, the female 1,915, being
a proportion of 987 males to 1,000 females.

Accommodation for Confinements
The following table shows where babies were born in Croydon
during 1959. 45 more babies were born at home and 55 fewer were born in hospital than in 1958.
43 fewer Croydon residents had
babies outside Croydon and 22 fewer non-residents were confined
in Croydon than in 1958.