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6
SECTION A
STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS
OF THE AREA
Area 8339 acres
Population, 1921 Census 4,513
Population, 1931 Census 6,400
Registrar-General's estimate of
(а) resident population mid-1939 9,434
(б) average population appropriate to the
calculation of death rates 9,643
Number of inhabited houses (end of 1939) according
to Rate Books 2,428
Rateable Value (1st April, 1940) £111,959
Estimated product of a penny rate (1st April, 1940) £340
SOCIAL CONDITIONS
The District comprises the parishes Shenley and Ridge
(chiefly farming and residential), and Elstree. In Elstree the
principal occupations are industrial, more particularly, the
film studios, photographic plate and paper manufacturing,
photographic processing and knitting mills. Elstree is, to some
extent, residential, particularly on the west side of the L.M.S.
Railway line. On the eastern side of the Elstree station, in
the Boreham Wood portion of the Parish, considerable development
is taking place. The widening of the main Shenley Road
(Shopping Centre) has been completed by the County Council.
A considerable number of new factories have been erected and
occupied, and many more are in course of erection. Various
types of industry are represented including manufacturers of
Soaps and Perfumes, Children's Toys, Cosmetics, Table Stationery,
Electrical Accessories, as well as Light Engineering and Joinery
Works.
I am indebted to the Manager of the Ministry of Labour
Employment Exchange, Watford, for the following particulars
with respect to unemployment in the Boreham Wood Employment
Exchange area.
During the year the average number of unemployed workmen
registered was 148. The highest rate of unemployment was in
the week ended 2nd January, 1939, a figure of 249, when the
hard weather adversely affected outside workers. The lowest
figure recorded was during the week ended 17th July, 1939,
namely, 73 ; at this time building and construction works were