View report page

9
SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
of the
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.
To the Board of Works, Fulham District.
Gentlemen,
In my Report for the year 1861, I stated the number of
inhabitants of the Fulham District to be 39,951 as taken at the
Census, figures which were derived from Returns of the Registrars
to myself.
In the Registrar General's weekly return of January 4th, 1862,
the numbers were placed at 40,042, but in his summary for 1861,
he has altered them to 40,058, which latter, I presume, have been
estimated from a subsequent revision of the Enumerators' Schedules
and may, I think, be taken as correct.
The number of inhabitants then of the Fuiham District at the
last Census (1861) will stand thus:—St. Peter, Hammersmith,
5,415; St. Paul, Hammersmith, 19,104; Fuiham, 15,539. Total,
40,058. In 1811, the population of Fuiham was only 5,903, and
of Hammersmith 7,393, making a total of 13,296, shewing that
whilst Fuiham has increased 163.2 perCent. on its then number
of inhabitants, Hammersmith has attained to 231.6 perCent. in
the same period of time.
In the 10 years, 1851 to 1861, this rate of increase was somewhat
altered, for, whilst Fuiham enlarged its population during that
period 30.7 perCent. on its then numbers, Hammersmith only
reached 27.5 perCent.
The features of the several populations have, however, much
modified this relatively beneficial result to Fuiham, since in Hammersmith
the population has been augmented principally by persons of
a moderate grade in society, whilst that of Fuiham, unfortunately,
has received its additions chiefly from the lower and labouring
classes. The cause of this somewhat undesirable change is clearly
traceable to immigration. The enlarging of the Gas Works has
produced an increased demand for labour; a more highly cultivated
, condition of the Market Garden and Nursery Grounds has likewise in
this manner contributed; the profitable nature of pig-keeping has
led to the establishment of extensive piggeries affording maintenance
to numerous families, to say nothing of many manufactures of a
have swamped the additions derived from the better classes.