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2
SECTION A
STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS
1. General Statistics.
Area in Acres 1,408
Total Population (including Service personnel) 38,630
Number of inhabited houses (approx.) 11,811
Rateable Value - General Rate (1.4.60) £1,151,481
Sum represented by Penny Rate (year I960/6I) £ 4,656
Total number of hereditaments 14,529
Domestic dwellings 80% of total hereditaments
Commercial premises 16% of total hereditaments
Number of premises classified as industrial, entertainment,
public utility, educational and miscellaneous 449
2. Social Conditions.
Kingston-upon-Thames is a Royal and Ancient Borough situated
upon the south bank of the River Thames, within the County of Surrey and
the Greater London area.
Although it is renowned as a prosperous market town and for its
extensive shopping centre, which provides the main economic function,
there is also important industrial activity in Aircraft and Engineering.
Kingston is not only a centre for education and recreation, but is a
"commuting" area for business people travelling daily to and from London.
The social conditions are influenced by the trend of the high
level of employment which exists in the town and the Manager of the local
Employment Exchange, Miss M.Bond, has kindly provided the following
information regarding employment in Kingston and District:-
"In reviewing the employment situation obtaining during 1960,
I am happy to be able to report that the year was one of continuing
stability, with unemployed registers in general consistently lower than
they were in 1959. In December there were 338 men and 92 women registered
as unemployed in Kingston Employment Exchange (19 fewer men and 2 more
women), it is notable that even lower figures were recorded during the year,
the lowest being 317 men and 66 women.
The Exchange found employment in its own area for 3,718 men and
1,163 women in 1960, 110 of the women's placings being in part-time work.
Additionally, 121 men and 75 women were placed in work in other Exchange
areas. The overall total of 5,077 is an inorease of 45 over 1959. Thirtyeight
of the men and 118 of the women placed were people already in work
who were, for a number of reasons, seeking other positions. Fortysix men were
submitted to vacancies in new or expanded towns, and 9 were successful,