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14
A.—STATISTICS & SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE AREA
Area (in acres) 4,343
Population (Registrar-General's Estimate, mid-year 1958) 114,000
Number of Assessments (31st December, 1958)39,290
Rateable Value (31st December, 1958) £1,593,455
Estimated Product of a penny rate £6,350
Population.— The Registrar-General's Estimate of the home
population at mid-year, 1958, is 114,000 a decrease of 1,300 on the
previous year.
The peak population for Walthamstow, i.e., 135,600 was
reached in 1933, then there was a steady decrease to 130,000 in
1939. During the War of 1939/45 the population fluctuated between
109,400 and 94,170, and then in 1946 recovered with demobilisation
to 118,050, reaching a peak post-War population of 123,500 in
1949.
Since then there has been a steady decline each year largely
accounted for by outward transfers, especially to the New Towns,
since no fewer than 1,247 families were so rehoused by the Housing
Department alone between 1950/58.
Employment.— According to information kindly supplied by
Mr. L. A. Houseman, Manager of the local Employment Exchange,
approximately 280 men and 180 women were placed in employment
every month during the year 1958 through the placing machinery
of the Employment Exchange. The number of persons insured
under the National Insurance Acts employed in the whole area
covered by the Exchange, comprising the boroughs of Walthamstow,
Leyton, Chingford and Wanstead and Woodford, was approximately
80,500. Of this number it is estimated that about 35,000
were employed in Walthamstow. During 1958, the average number
of persons unemployed in the whole area was 970 men and 240
women, including 130 disabled men and 20 disabled women.
Note.— The figures of insured persons are based partly on the
number of N.I. cards exchanged during the June to September
quarter and partly in returns rendered by certain employers showing
the number of N.I. cards they hold. Caution should be exercised in
comparing the numbers of persons unemployed with the insured
persons. An unemployed person need not necessarily register at
an Employment Exchange in the area where his N.I. Card is exchanged.
Normally an employed person's N.I. Card would be
counted in the area in which he works, while if he became unemployed
he would be likely to register at the Employment Exchange in the
area in which he lives.