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STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE BOROUGH, 1954
Area in acres (including 116 acres of foreshore of River
Thames and 24 acres of inland water) 2,449,5
Population - Census 1931 62,617
Population - Census 1951 59,367
Population - Registrar General's Estimate for area (mid 1954) 59,160
Number of Inhabited Houses according to Rate Book 15,654
Rateable Value at 1.4.1954 £722,564
Sum produced by 1d Rate £2,919
The Borough is divided into nine Wards
BRENTFORD: Brentford East
Brentford West
Brentford Central
CHISWICK: Chiswick Park
Grove Park
Bedford Park
Gunnersbury
Old Chiswick
Turnham Green
The Borough of Brentford and Chiswick is mainly residential, although there
is a factory zone in the western part of the Borough, and a certain amount of
industrial buildings of the smaller type scattered throughout.
There are 630 acres of open space within the Borough, with ample facilities
for refreshment and recreation both for the public in general and for the
sporting activities of particular groups. The proportion of open space of this
character to the total area of the Borough is approximately 25% which is very
high for a Borough in the Metropolitan Police area.
The residents of the Borough are of mixed categories, including professional
and clerical people of all grades,, artisans, factory workers, etc., and the types
of dwelling vary from flatted houses and cottages to large detached residences
in their own surrounding grounds. Here and there are very old properties
which have deteriorated and the work of removing these slum dwellings and
replacing them with modern houses is proceeding.
Overcrowding of homes while still a considerable problem in the district
seems gradually to be diminishing. The proportion of overcrowded houses is
certainly lower than at the end of 1953, partly because of the increase in the
rate of Council house and private building, and partly because of the transfer
of some of the residents to New Town accommodation.
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