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18
and the whole place bears visible signs of increase and prosperity. I trust also, that this
Report will show an improved state of healthfulness, to whatever cause it is to be attributed.
From the years 1851 to 1861, the population of Rotherhithe increased by 6697 souls, or
at about the rate of 670 annually; that during the last five years, and particularly during the
past year, a rapid growth has taken place is clearly and distinctly proved by an unfailing
test, namely, the number of births, which exceeded by 72, those of the preceeding twelvemonths.
Without entering into minute details, let it be here stated that I believe the
resident inhabitants of this parish to be at least 25,000, and the floating inhabitants (all
males), to average about 2000, in all 27000, and upon this number, I shall base my calculations.
If any person were to cast a glance over the tables annexed to this report, he must be
struck with one fact, namely, the large amount of inquests in proportion to the total of the
registered deaths. Thus, to 581 of the latter, there are 54 of the former, or in round
numbers about 1 in 11, so that one might be naturally enough led to conclude that every
eleventh death in Rotherhithe is either sudden, accidental, or violent. Such, however, is not
the case. From the set of the tide in the Thames, many bodies are cast ashore at the
Point, and inquests are held on them. Thus out of the 54 above mentioned, 24 had no connexion
whatever with the parish, except that of the inquest on them being held in it, though
they swell on the register the apparent mortality. Of the 30 remaining, by far the greater
number were oh the bodies of men drowned in the river, or the docks, labourers, lightermen,
and seamen, English and Foreign. All these however must be counted, as they form part of
the floating population. Let then, 24 be deducted from 581, and we leave 557 as the true
mortality from March 25th 1865, to March 24th 1866, and taking 27,000 as the population,
the death rate has been 20-64 in the thousand, or about 3 below the average mortality of the
metropolis.

Thus, notwithstanding the increase of population, both the mortality and the death rate
from March 1865, to March 1866 were smaller than in either of the two previous years, and
it may be safely assumed that the elapsed year was a very healthy one. Let us here remark
that the number of deaths from 1863 to i864 was much augmented by the presence in the
parish of two epidemic diseases, fever and small pox, but from 1864 to 1865 may be considered
as an average year.
952 births were registered, namely, 478 males, and 474 females, being 72 in excess of
the year preeediug. I here is no surer sign than this, of the rapid growth of population.
1 he registered births exceeded the registered deaths by 371, and the corrected mortality
after deducting the 24 inquests above mentioned by 391.
With regard to the seasons the largest mortality, 176, was during the summer quarter
From June 24, to September 29, and the smallest during the Autumn from September 29, to
December 25.