View report page

31
It "will be seen that the population of the Parish has continuously
decreased for the last 40 years, and the rate of decrease has been
more rapid in each succeeding decade; the decline being 1,001,
1,082, 1,705, and 3,754 respectively, or a total of 7,542 during the
40 years. This large decrease, coupled with the fact that the
rateable value still has an upward tendency (see page 50), clearly
shows that the character of the Parish is undergoing rapid change,
offices, warehouses, and clubs taking the place of residences, as the
centre of trade continues to increase and move westward, and
greater facilities are afforded for business men to live in the
suburbs. A still further decrease in the resident population may
be expected, inasmuch as there is not any land in the Parish now
available for building purposes, and the causes which have already
led to a diminution in the number of inhabitants will probably
continue to operate for some years to come.
The following figures give the comparative population of the
Wards into which the Parish is divided for Vestry purposes:—
Houses. Inhabitants.
Pall Mall Ward 533 4,104
Church Ward 584 4,115
Golden Square Ward 764 8,448
Great Marlborough Ward 1,137 13,198
Total 3,018 29,865
It must, however, be remembered that no account is taken in
the above figures of the large number of persons engaged in
various ways in the Parish during the day only, the sleeping
population being alone enumerated in the Census Returns.
THE VESTRY
Consists of 48 elected and three ex -officio Members, and was
constituted by the Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855. It
superseded an elected Vestry acting under the provisions of the
Statute 1 & 2 William IV., cap. 60, which was adopted by the
ratepayers of St. James's on the 6th April, 1832. All the powers