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It will be seen that nearly all were children of tender age, the
exception being two women who died shortly after child-birth. All
these cases were found upon enquiry to be Diarrhoea of the ordinary type.
POPULATION.
The population of this District I estimate at 124,000. This is below
rather than above the number, as there have been many houses built at
the south-eastern portion of the Parish, and as they are inhabited as soon
as finished, it shews how much they are needed. There is no doubt that
some will be occupied by persons from other parishes, so we must allow
somewhat for immigration.
I hope the immigration will not be great, for we want all the house
room we have, and could well do with more. Then comes the question
of rent. This increases year after year, while the income of the artisan
does not increase in the proportion to enable him to meet the demand
made by the advanced prices in coals, meat, butter, &c.; and the fish
supply is so small, and in consequence so dear, that little can find its
way to his table. Now, finding this, the head of a family will look round
and see where he can retrench, and feeling the pressure of the weekly or
monthly payment of rent, he diminishes it; where a whole house has been
kept, by letting off a portion; in other instances, where three rooms have
been kept, reducing them to two, and from two to one : thus is perpetuated
that great evil in this and all surrounding districts—overcrowding.
BIRTHS.
The rate of increase during the year has been 41.6 per 1000, while
during the same period the average for the whole of London was 35.4 ;
so that we had nearly six children per 1000 born in this Parish more
than the average for the whole of London.
DEATHS.
The annual rate of mortality was 20.8 per 1000, or one person died of
every 48 persons living, one death in 6.4 being from Zymotic disease.
The average death rate for the whole of London during the same period
was 21.4 per 1000, so that the mortality for this District was lower than