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BIRTHS
The number of live births registered in Woolwich during 1956
was 2,356. After correction for inward and outward transfers, the
net number of Woolwich live births was 1,953, being 18 less than in
the previous year. Of the total births, 990 were boys and 963
girls. It is known that 1,791 births took place in public institutions
in the Borough, of which 933 concerned Woolwich mothers. The
birth rate was 13.2, which, when adjusted to allow for the differing
age and sex distributions of the population in various parts of the
country, gives a birth rate of 13.06 compared with the provisional
birth rate for England and Wales of 15.7 and for London of 18.2.
There were 55 stillbirths during the year Tinder review.
NATURAL INCREASE IN POPULATION (i.e. Excess of Births over Deaths).
In 1956 the natural increase in population was 429. In 1955
it was 434, and in 1954 it was 592.
DEATHS
The number of deaths registered in Woolwich was 1,293, and after
correction for inward and outward transfers the net number was
1,524, giving a death rate of 10.4 for the Borough, compared with
10.3 the previous year.
The adjusted death rate for Woolwich was 11.1, compared with
the provisional figure of 12.9 for London and of 11.7 for England and
Wales.
Deaths of Woolwich residents in hospitals in the Borough totalled
643, whilst 468 died in other hospitals outside the Borough.
MATERNAL DEATHS
There were no maternal deaths during the year. There were two
during the previous year.
INQUESTS
Fifty-two inquests were held on Woolwich residents during the
year, and 442 post-mortems on Woolwich residents were carried out
on behalf of the Coroner, being twice as many as during 1955.
INFANT MORTALITY
The infant death rate for the year of 18.9(19.7 in 1955)
compares favourably with 23.8 for England and Wales.
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