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
Walthamstow 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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The increase (1,792 000 in 1972 and 2,655,000 in 1982) in the
number of children in the population, represents percentage increases
of about 17 per cent and 25 per cent on the 1962 figures. For
pensioners the corresponding figures are 1 140, 000 more in 1972 and
1,893,000 more in 1982. percentage increases of over 16 per cent and
27 per cent respectively. These groups together now comprise 37.5
per cent of the whole population; in 1972 the percentage will be 40.4
and in 1982 40.8 per cent.
The Birth and Death Rates are the two most important factors
governing these population trends and the difference between these
rates for Walthamstow and the National average both reflects and
determines the local population structure, i.e., its distribution
into age groups.
| YEAR | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 12.5 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 11.3 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.5 | 11.7 | 11.6 | 11.5 | 12.0 | 11.9 |
| Walthamstow | 10.8 | 10.8 | 9.9 | 9.5 | 10.0 | 10.2 | 11.4 | 10.2 | 10.8 | 10.1 | 12.1 | 11.7 |
| YEAR | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 15.5 | 15.3 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 15.0 | 15.6 | 16.1 | 16.4 | 16.5 | 17.1 | 17.4 | 18.0 |
| Walthamstow | 13.5 | 12.6 | 12.2 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 11.8 | 11.4 | 11.3 | 12.7 | 12.79 | 14 | 14.4 |
Death Rates in Walthamstow have been almost consistently lower
than the National average and have played some part in producing a
higher proportion in the older age groups though migration of young
families to out borough housing estates is probably a more important
factor.
Because of the smaller proportion of young adults the birthrate
is considerably below that for England and Wales but has risen
parallel with the National average since 1955 when it was 3,7 per
thousand below (15 11.3) now it is 3.6 points down (18 14.4)
so that though there may be relatively fewer child producing families
the same trends are operating here as elsewhere and it is therefore
reasonable to predict the future population structure of Walthamstow
by extrapolating from the 1961 census figures for distribution of
population using the same percentage changes as the Registrar General
has computed for the National average so long as migration is ignored.