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
Mitcham 1958
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Mitcham]
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7
REPORT
STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE
AREA
| Area (in acres) | 2,932 acres |
| Population, Census 1921 | 35,119 |
| „ 1931 | 56,856 |
| „ 1951 (32,384 M.; 34,885 F.) | 67,269 |
| Registrar-General's estimate of population mid-year, 1958 | 64,700 |
| Density of Population, 1951 | 22.9 persons per acre |
| Number of inhabited houses, 1921 | 7,150 |
| „ 1931 | 13,187 |
| „ 1958 | 19,896 |
| Rateable Value, 1958 | £989,807 |
| Sum represented by a 1d. rate | £3,990 |
The Borough of Mitcham is an irregular oval in shape, situated
in North-East Surrey adjoining the south-west border of the London
metropolitan area. It is fairly flat and low lying, with some 600 acres
of open space including the 440 acres of Mitcham Common.
The River Wandle, which forms the south-west and western
boundary, separates Mitcham from Beddington and Wallington in
the south and Carshalton in the west, as it runs a northwards course
towards the Thames.
The soil of Mitcham consists of up to four feet of top-soil with
about ten feet of gravel sub-soil, except for one or two parts where
London clay comes to the surface. Below the gravel London clay
extends downwards for 200 to 300 feet.
Mitcham, with over 300 factories, has a great variety of industries,
of which the chief ones are paint and varnish, chemical,
engineering, margarine and dairy products.
The unemployment situation deteriorated progressively during
the year so that by the end of the year there was substantial unemployment
which affected all classes except the most highly skilled.