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Other industries which employ a large number of the
population include that of cable making, sugar refining, leather
cloth making, oil refining, manufacturing of chemicals, with a
host of other smaller trades.
Unemployment. The statistics which were compiled for
many years with reference to unemployment in the borough
included some persons in other areas than West Ham who
registered at the two employment exchanges, viz. Canning
Town and Stratford. Since 1933, however, special returns have
been compiled relating to the number of unemployed persons
resident in the County Borough. Table II. gives these figures
from 1933-1936. For Tables II. and III., and for the following
comments, I have to thank Mr. E. C. Ramsbottom, O.B.E., the
Director of Statistics of the Ministry of Labour.
The figures for the years 1933-1936 relate to the total
number of unemployed (insured and uninsured) aged 14 and over,
who were resident in West Ham and who were also on the register
of the employment exchange. The figures for 1937 relate only
to persons aged 16 and under 65 years who were insured against
unemployment. It should be noted, therefore, that the figures for
1937 are not strictly comparable with figures for previous years.
With reference to the total number of persons insured
against unemployment, statistics are compiled annually showing
the numbers whose unemployment books are exchanged at the
employment exchanges in West Ham, but these figures also
include some residents in West Ham whose books are exchanged
at employment exchanges in other districts, and include some
residents in other areas whose books are exchanged at employment
exchanges in West Ham. In order to provide a basis for the
calculation of approximate percentage rates of unemployment,
estimates have been made by the Department of the total number
of insured persons, aged 16-64, resident in West Ham in July of
each year since 1933.
Table III. gives the estimated figures for each of the years
1933-1937.
It should be observed, however, that these estimates are
necessarily only rough approximations, and that the figures given
for 1933 to 1936 (relating to insured persons aged 16-64) are not
strictly comparable with the unemployment figures given for those
years in Table II., which includes juveniles under 16 years of age
and uninsured persons registered as unemployed.
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