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than quintupled, and that in the last decade the mere increase was
double the total in 1856.
The population and the number of inhabited houses increased
nearly threefold in 25 years; the increase in the last decade alone
attaining the proportions of a large city.
In the nature of things the material growth of the parish must
cease ere many years shall have passed, and there will be an
arrest to the increase of population, for there will be no room
for additional buildings, but property in some parts of the parish
will probably continue to increase in value long after the population
shall have become comparatively stationary: even now the
rateable value has attained such proportions as to be exceeded
by that only of the cities of London, Liverpool, Manchester,
and Bristol.
The foregoing statistics of population, etc., relate to the Census
which is taken in the month of April, but as annual statistics are
based on an estimated population at the middle of the year, I
proceed to state that the population of the parish as estimated in
July, was 163,540, this total being arrived at by adding to the
enumerated population in April, 1881, a certain number representing
excess of births over deaths, and deducting from the total a
number (238) representing a reduction in the number of inhabited
houses in July, 1881, as compared with July, 1880. In previous
years I have had to chronicle an increase in the number of rated
properties, even so many as 777 in a single year, but a decrease
never before. For the first time, therefore, during my official
connection with the parish, I have not had to calculate an increase
in population due to immigration, but contrariwise to estimate a
small decrease by emigration. The population of the Town subdistrict
as estimated was 120,440, of Brompton 43,100: total
163,540; viz., males, as estimated, 65,600, females 97,940: excess
of females, 32,340, equal to 49.5 per cent. (excess in 1871,22,345
or 45.6 per cent.), the corresponding excess in the Metropolis
being only 13 per cent. This redundancy of females is explicable
in large measure by the fact that in Kensington, as in other rich
parishes, there are numerous female domestic servants. There
are many girls' boarding-schools also, which bring numerous
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