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A slight rise in the birth rate (live and still births) is recorded from 13.06 in 1954, to
13.19 in 1955.
The number of illegitimate births recorded is the lowest since 1932 and as during that
year the estimated population was just over 44,000 it can be considered that the 1955 figure
is a record low one. The following figures have been extracted from previous Annual
Reports showing the trend of occurrence of illegitimate births during the years from 1932
onwards:—
Number of Illegitimate
Year Live Births
1932 20
1933 27
1934 27
1935 23
1936 24
1937 38
1938 31
1939 34
1940 31
1941 30
1942 38
1943 39
1944 55
1945 60
1946 56
1947 53
1948 53
1949 39
1950 36
1951 28
1952 26
1953 31
1954 23
1955 21
To make an approximate allowance for the way in which the sex and age distribution
of the local population differs from that for England and Wales as a whole, the birth rate is
multiplied by a comparability factor supplied by the Registrar-General. This gives a live
birth rate of 12.96 to compare with the corresponding rate for the whole of England and
Wales, which was 15.0.
Infant Mortality
Infant mortality, i.e. the number of children dying before reaching the age of one year
per 1,000 live births, again fell in 1955, the rate this year being the lowest yet recorded.
Twelve infants died, as compared with 13 during 1954, giving an infant mortality rate of
17.19 per 1,000 live births, as against 18.54 in 1954 Of these 12 deaths, 2 died at home
and 10 in hospital. Seven infants (4 male and 3 female) died within the first four weeks
after birth. Table V gives the causes of infant deaths under the age of one year. Graph
A, on infant mortality rates, shows the trend of the infant mortality rate since 1900.
The infant mortality rate for England and Wales as a whole was 24.9.
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