London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
West Ham 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
This page requires JavaScript
Table X. Quinquennial birth rates.
| Period | Total live births | Rates per 1,000 living | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males | Females | Persons | West Ham | England and Wales | |
| 1876-1880 | — | — | 22,560 | 38.8 | 35.3 |
| 1881-1885 | — | — | 30,519 | 42.3 | 33.5 |
| 1886-1890 | — | — | 34,817 | 38.2 | 31.4 |
| 1891-1895 | — | — | 40,630 | 37.1 | 30.5 |
| 1896-1900 | — | — | 43,694 | 34.9 | 29.3 |
| 1901-1905 | 23,962 | 22,797 | 46,759 | 34.3 | 28.2 |
| 1906-1910 | 22,757 | 21,785 | 44,542 | 31.5 | 26.3 |
| 1911-1915 | 22,382 | 21,389 | 43,771 | 29.9 | 23.6 |
| 1916-1920 | 19,397 | 18,410 | 37,807 | 25.0 | 20.1 |
| 1921-1925 | 19,566 | 18,657 | 38,223 | 24.4 | 19.9 |
| 1926-1930 | 15,364 | 14,622 | 29,986 | 19.4 | 16.7 |
| 1931-1935 | 11,828 | 11,357 | 23,185 | 16.4 | 15.0 |
Birth rates in quarters. The quarterly birth rates for the
last ten years are shown in Table XI. Examination of this table
shows that for any individual year the lowest birth rate generally
occurs in the fourth quarter—a feature which is not confined to
West Ham. The gradual manner in which the birth rate is falling
does not permit of any definite generalization, but there is some
indication that the decline has perhaps been most marked in the
first quarter of the year.
Illegitimate births. Of the 4,188 births registered, 114—
61 males and 53 females—were illegitimate. This is equal to a
percentage of 2.7 of the nett births registered, and to a rate of
0.44 per 1,000 of the population. Corresponding figures for
previous years are given in Table XII., from which it will be seen
that during the last fourteen years there has been no change in
the proportion of registered births which are illegitimate. When
compared with the figures for other areas, this proportion must
be regarded as low.
70