View report page

7
This population of 104,482 shows a difference of 2 per cent, compared
with the estimated population of the Registrar-General arrived at,
by his assuming that the population keeps growing at the same rate as
in the intercensal period of 1891-1901. But assuming that the 17,797
houses had an average of 5.9 persons per house at census we arrive
at 105,000.
As the population of the different Wards, is impossible to get at
accurately and allowing for the difference mentioned, I will assume that
the numbers of inhabitants for the different Wards are as follows :—
St. James St. High St. Hoe St. Wood St. Northern. Total.
23,600 20,000 22,500 16,500 23,500=106,100
These estimates are fairly accurate to base the various rates upon for
the different Wards, but as pointed out the figures are only approximate.
The population, as enumerated at the census of 1901, according
to age, sex, occupation and wards, was received by me too late to make
any use of it in last year's report.
In the appendix will be found the return as supplied by the Registrar
General. These figures are very interesting as showing the numbers
of inhabitants at each age group and the sexes. It will be noticed
that the sexes are pretty evenly balanced throughout the different
ages in all the Wards except Hoe Street. In this Ward the
females are a tenth more than the males, and this difference is maintained
from 15 years onwards; especially marked from 15 to 35, and from
55 upwards. This may be accounted for by many more female servants
being employed in this Ward, owing to the better-class character of the
population.
It will be seen that there exists a great variation in the
characters of the population, according to age, in the different Wards,
and this influence on death-rates and infectious sickness rates must not
be overlooked.
The following table shows how the population in 1901 was made up
according to age, compared with England and Wales, and the average
death-rate for the different ages throughout the country :—