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STATE OF EMPLOYMENT
Finchley is largely a residential district containing comparatively little industry or
commerce and is mainly a "white collar" area, the majority of workers travelling to
the City or West End. More manual workers are now settling in the district but again
most of the skilled workers travel to the more industrialised areas of Wembley,
Colindale, Wood Green, etc.
The percentage of unemployed workers to the employed population is not known,
but it is believed to be well below the national percentage.
Unemployment usually reaches its lowest point in June of each year, normally
rising again after Christmas and then starting to decrease in March. Figures for
Finchley are not available, but the following table shows the number of unemployed
adult persons, i.e., aged 18 and over, for the Finchley and Friern Barnet areas:-
1959 1960 1961
June December June December June December
Men 176 173 142 151 102 182
Women 44 44 22 19 5 23
Total 220 217 164 170 107 205
On dates nearest to the end of the year on which a count was made of young
persons under 18 years of age, there were 23 boys and 3 girls registered as unemployed,
143 unfilled vacancies for boys and 89 for girls. At Christmas 115 boys and 122
girls left school to enter employment.
The year was notable for the large number of school leavers and the relative ease
with which they obtained employment. In general they were absorbed into employment
more easily than had been anticipated. Indeed the long-standing shortage of suitable
juvenile labour in some occupations remained throughout the year. Once again, a large
number of young people went outside the area for their jobs—either to neighbouring
suburban areas or to Central London.
Engineering attracted boys of a wide range of ability and of all age groups from
15 to 18 years. Building, electrical contracting, motor repair and servicing and the
distributive trades appealed mainly to the 15-year-old leavers, and clerical work mainly
to those leaving at 16 years or over.
The distributive trades and hairdressing mainly attracted the 15-year-old girl
leaver. Clerical work appealed particularly to girls leaving school at 16 and 17.
ROAD SAFETY
The following tables show the number of road traffic accidents and casualties
within the Borough during 1961 and comparative figures for the past five years.
The figures supplied by the Registrar-General, shown in the list of causes of
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