The deaths registered in 1874 were 2,696, viz., 2,102 in the Town
sub-district and 594 in Brompton. After re-distribution of the deaths in
the Workhouse and Hospital (the deaths in the latter institution
remaining as a compensation allowance for the deaths of parishioners
occurring outside the parish), the numbers in the respective districts
stand thus: Town, 2,147; Brompton, 548. The death rate was 19-5 per
1,000 (all London 22.5), the death rate in the Town sub-district being
20.4, and in Brompton 16.6. Thirteen hundred and forty-seven males died,
and 1,349 females; the deaths of females being only two above the males,
although the females exceed the males in the population by no fewer than
25,520. The death rate of males was 23.9, of females 16.5 per 1,000.
The general death rate in the parish, excluding the deaths of
non-parishioners at the Brompton Hospital and the deaths at St. Joseph’s
House, Notting-hill, was 18.3 per 1,000. The subjoined table shows the
number of deaths in each quarter and in each district, excluding the
deaths of non-parishioners in the Hospital at Brompton:
KENSINGTON TOWN BROMPTON
Sub-District. Sub-District.
Males. Females. Total. Males. Females. Total. Grand
Total.
1st 295 307 602 63 64 127 729
Quarter
2nd 218 227 445 55 53 108 553
3rd 238 245 483 49 56 105 588
4th 294 278 572 58 71 129 701
Total 1045 1057 2102 225 244 469 2571
The deaths under one year of age (762) bear the proportion of 17.5 per
cent. on the registered births (London 15.5), and they were equal to 28.5
per cent. of the total deaths (London 24.6.) The deaths under five
(1,188) were equal to 27.7 per cent. on the number of births, and to 45.4
per cent of the total deaths; the relative proportions in all London
being 26.3 and 41.6. The deaths at 60 years of age and upwards (582)
formed 21.7 per cent. of the total mortality in Kensington, the relative
proportion in all London being 21.6.
Impressed with the imperfections of mere general death rates and
proportional relations as given above, I have, at considerable labour,
estimated the population in groups of ages, and worked out the death rate
for each group—showing the number of deaths per 1,000 persons living, as
follows:
Age. Estimated Actual Deaths per
Population. number 1,000
of deaths. persons
living.
Under 1 3,762 762 202.8
1 and under 2 3,153 223 70.9
2 „ 5 9,413 203 21.6
(0 „ 5) (16,328) (1,188) (73.)
5 „ 15 24,910 105 4.2
15 „ 25 29,262 105 3.6
25 „ 35 25,822 148 5.7
35 „ 45 17.267 151 8.7
45 „ 55 12,145 198 16.3
55 „ 65 7,154 199 27.8
65 „ 75 3,754 232 62.1
75 „ 85 1,199 183 153.8
85 „ 95 149 54 400
95 and upwards 10 8
138,000 2571
Since the preceding Table was worked out I have become acquainted with an
interesting and valuable paper by Mr. Thomas A. Welton, F.S.S., on “The
Effect of Migrations upon Death Rates,” read before the Statistical
Society on the 15th June, 1875, and which enables me to supplement it by
the following Table, in which are contrasted the death rates at certain
ages in England and Wales, and in the Metropolis during the 10 years
1861–70, and in the Parish of Kensington in 1874, calculated on the
number of deaths per 1,000 persons living at the several ages.
Place. Age.
0–5 15–25 25–35 55–65 65–75
England & Wales (10 years) 68.5 7.3 .. .. ..
London ( 1861–70) 81.9 6.3 9.8 38.8 75.4
Kensington (1874) 73.0 3.6 5.7 26.8 62.1
It must be obvious that the truest mode of calculating death rates is
that used in the above Tables, and the result of such calculations is by
no means unfavourable to the character for salubrity of the parish of
Kensington. Did time permit of following out the method for the sexes,
and in the two sub-districts, the results would, I doubt not, be very
much more favourable for Brompton, and for the female sex, than they are
for the entire parish, and for both sexes.