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63
inhabited houses increased nearly threefold in 27 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, and there will bean arrest to the
increase in population, for there will be no room for additional
houses; 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 of the cities of London, Liverpool,
Manchester, and Bristol only. At present the population
of Kensington is to that of London about 1 to 23½ and the
rateable value 1 to 16½.
MARRIAGES AND MARRIAGE RATE.
The marriages in 1883 were 1,616, or 143 more than in
1882. Of these there were celebrated—
By the Church (76.9 per cent. of total marriages) 1,243
At Roman Catholic places of worship - - 107
At other Nonconformist places of worship - 76
At the Superintendent Registrar's Office - - 190
Total 1,616
The marriage rate, i.e., persons married per 1,000 of the
population, was 19.5. The marriage rate in the country
generally was 15.4 per 1,000, against 14.4, 14.9, 15.1, and
15.4 in the four preceding years. The marriage rate declined
steadily from 17.6 in 1873 to 14.4 in 1879, which was lower
than any previous year on record: since 1879 the recovery
has been slow, but continuous. The marriage rate in London,
in 1883, was 17.8, a lower rate, the Registrar General states,
than any previously recorded, the nearest to it having been
18.0, which was the rate in 1879. The marriage rate