London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kingston upon Thames 1939
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston-upon-Thames]
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1.
SECTION A. Statistics and Social Conditions.
| 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area in Acres | 1,390 | 1,390 | 1,390 | 1,390 | 1,390 |
| population (Registrar General) | 39,970 | 37,430 | 35,970 | 36,090 | 35,900 |
| No.of inhabited houses approx. | 11,040 | 10,800 | 11,000 | 11,000 | 11,000 |
| Rateable Value - General Rate | £527,138 | 535,527 | 534,294 | 535,643 | 532,263 |
| Sum represented by-Penny Rate | £2,080 | £2,106 | £2,106 | £2,112 | £2,169 |
| Amount of Poor Law Relief | £1,149 | £6,833 | £4,810 | £4,438 | £2,457 |
(ii) Social Conditions.
The Borough is still residential in character over the
greater part of the area, but many industrial businesses have
developed, particularly within recent years. The chief industries
of the town are the manufacture of aircraft and component parts,
scientific and general instrument manufacture, sparking plugs, and
general engineering. There has been a considerable increase in
the number of small firms engaged on sub-contracting for the larger
firms or for the supply department direct. There is also a
considerable number of persons engaged in the distributive trades
owing to Kingston being a main shopping centre. Building has
declined considerably owing to diversion of men to urgent war
contracts and this applies also to civil engineering and to smaller
industries, affected by the concentration of certain industries.
Unemployment is practically non-existent.