Statistical Notes

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STATISTICAL NOTES

The combined National Register populations of the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man as derived from the initial enumeration at the end of September 1939, amounted to 46,895,914. The constituent national totals are set out hereunder. In regard to the figures for Great Britain and the Isle of Man it is to be observed that they have been derived wholly from counts made by enumerators and furnished in summary form through their respective local registration officers. Past census experience shows that there is usually a small difference between summaries thus furnished and the result of the direct examination of the original records at head office, but it is not material as a rule in relation to the magnitude of the totals, and ought to he of even less significance in present circumstances on account of the additional checks imposed by the analytical operations which were undertaken by the field staff. In the case of Northern Ireland, the count was made at the head office in Belfast; but the precision of the record has been to some extent affected by the method employed in the collection of the original data and by the omission of inmates of institutions in respect of whom an estimated addition of 12,698, derived from the 1937 census returns, has been included in the total shown below.


NATIONAL REGISTER POPULATIONS, 1939

Persons Males Females
England and Wales 40,651,706 19,074,099 21,577607
Scotland 4,907,619 2,296,367 2,611,252
Northern Ireland 1,285,760 * *
Isle of Man 50,829 22,475 28,354
United Kingdom & Isle of Man 46,895,914 * *

Corresponding National Register populations (without distinction of sex in the case of Northern Ireland) are set out in Table I for a range of subdivisions of the countries comprising Regions, Counties, Towns and Rural areas.

For the purpose of comparison with standard population records, such as those associated with previous censuses or with current estimates, the above figures are not suitable as they stand on account of the fact that two sections of population are, as stated earlier, excluded from the National Register totals, viz. (a) persons serving in and not on leave from His Majesty's Naval, Military or Air Forces and (b) populations on ships in or nearing port.

Precise evaluation of the excluded sections is not possible, but from available material it is believed that they would account together for rather more than a million persons, or say 1,010,000, almost exclusively male, and apportioned between the dire1 main sections of the Kingdom in round figures as follows :— England and Wales 900,000, Scotland 400,000 and Northern Ireland 10,000.

After adjustment of the National Register figures with these allowances, a total of 47,906,000 is reached for the whole of the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man combined. While from the nature of its construction this total is not entitled to the authority of a direct count, it can probably be regarded as valid within a margin of error which should not exceed per thousand. The corres¨pondingly augmented totals for the three main sections would be as follows':— England and Wales 41,552,000, Scotland 5,008,000 and Northern Ireland 1,296,000, and these figures are used for comparative purposes in the following paragraphs.


GREAT BRITAIN

The present total of 46,560,000 is the largest hitherto reached in Great Britain. It exceeds the number returned at the census of 1931 by 1,765,000 or 3.9 per cent., which, when allowance is made for the differing dates of record, corresponds to an average annual increase in population of 0'47 per cent. It is of interest to observe that this average is the same as the similarly computed annual average rate of increase in the preceding decennium 1921-1931.

Comparative figures showing the growth of population in Great Britain and its two national divisions at successive enumerations since 1801 are shown in the following table. They are pictorially displayed in diagram A.

TABLE A. —GREAT BRITAIN: POPULATION 1801-1039 (Numbers in thousands.)

Date of Enumeration Great Britain England and Wales Scotland
Population Increase Population Increase Population Increase
No. % No. % No. %
       
1801, March 9/10 10,501 - - 8893 - - 1608 - -
1811, May 26/27 11970 1469 14.0 10164 1271 14.3 1806 198 12.3
1821, May 27/28 14092 2122 17.7 12000 1836 18.1 2092 286 15.8
1831, May 29/30 16261 2169 15.4 13897 1897 15.8 2364 272 13.0
1841, June 6/7 18534 2273 14.0 15914 2017 14.5 2620 256 10.8
1851, March 30/31 20817 2283 12.3 17928 2014 12.7 2889 269 10.3
1861, April 7/8 23128 2311 11.1 20066 2138 11.9 3062 173 6.0
1871, April 2/3 26072 2944 12.7 22712 2646 13.2 3360 298 9.7
1881, April 3/4 29710 3638 14.0 25974 3262 14.4 3736 376 11.2
1891, April 5/6 33029 3319 11.2 29003 3029 11.7 4026 290 7.8
1901, March 31/April 1 37000 3971 12.0 32528 3525 12.2 4472 446 11.1
1911, April 2/3 40831 3831 10.4 36070 3542 10.9 4761 289 6.5
1921, June 19/20 42769 1938 4.7 37887 1817 5.0 4882 121 2.5
1931, April 26/27 44795 2026 4.7 39952 2065 5.5 4843 -39 -0.8
       
1939, Sept. 29/30 46560 1765 3.9 41552 1600 4.0 5008 165 3.4
Equivalent 10 yrs. Increase - 2093 4.7 - 1897 4.7 - 196 4.0

An incidental feature revealed in this series is that the decrease of population recorded for Scotland in respect of the period 1921-1931-the only decrease shown in the table has been now reversed by a period of growth substantially greater than that of either of the previous periods since the 1914-18 war. The more important general feature of interest which is disclosed, however, 's the somewhat abrupt change in the steady sequence of population increases dating from the period of the last war ; prior to that time the annual rate of growth had been consistently of the order of 1 per cent. or more, but immediately after it dropped to rather less than half that figure at which lower level it has been maintained ever since.

Much natural concern has been expressed in recent years in regard .to the prospect of a decline in the population of this country.. What is happening at the present time has not, however, always been clearly understood. It must again be emphasized that up to now the population has been steadily increasing; not only has no decline been so far registered but there is no evidence as yet of the gradual tapering away of the successive increases which would ordinarily be expected to precede the attainment of a peak total as the immediate precursor of an ultimate fall. But it is of course useless under present circumstances to attempt to speculate on likely population conditions either of the remote or the immediate future. The significance of peace time trends will be profoundly influenced, if not rendered meaningless, by the occurrence of a state of war; and if the length and intensity of the present struggle prove at all comparable with that of 1914- 1918, its consequences will be reflected in the population record for many years to come.

The new figures broadly confirm the annual estimates of the population of Great Britain derived from the reports of the Registrars General published year by years since 1931. Diagram B, in which they are shown together, suggests at first sight that there may have been a slight degree of under-statement in the estimates of the most recent years. This of course may be true; but it has to be remembered that in the case of males, the new figures are themselves subject to a margin of error in respect of the unverified allowances included for non-civilians and shipping population. Moreover, in case of both sexes, the onset of the war must have imposed immediate restrictions upon migration during the month of September and may well have been responsible for a significant diversion of the normal course of population movement during that period.

IMAGE

In the following table the 193 —39 increase of population is resolved it to its principal (component elements; and these are accompanied by similar comparative analyses for earlier intercensal periods

TABLE B .—BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND MIGRATION I871-1939 (figures in thousands)

Period Great Britain England and Wales Scotland
Births Deaths Gain or Loss (-) by Migration (All Types) Births Deaths Gain or Loss (-) by Migration (All Types) Births Deaths Gain or Loss (-) by Migration (All Types)
1871-81 9838 5943 -257 8604 5178 -164 1234 765 -93
1881-91 10147 6010 -817 8894 5265 -600 1253 745 -217
1891-01 10438 6344 -122 9157 5563 -69 1281 781 -53
1901-11 10596 6009 -756 9290 5246 -502 1306 763 -254
1911-21 9466 6019 -1509* 8281 5268 -1196* 1185 751 -313
1921-31 7935 5344 -565 6930 4692 -173 1005 652 -392
                   
1931-39 (8.4 years) 5886 4639 518 5137 4092 555 749 547 -37
10 years equivalent 6981 5503 615 6093 4854 658 888 649 -43
* Includes the death ao non-civilians which occurred abroad during the 1914-1918 war, estimated at 577,000 England & Wales and 74,000 (Scotland).

The analysis of the 1931-39 period is further extended in Table C to show the movement of the component elements by calendar years.

Though, as already remarked, the total growth of population in the period since 1931 has been on a scale roughly commensurate with that of the ten year prior to 1931, Table B shows that the composition of the later increase is of a far less satisfactory character. Both of the components representing the natural elements of birth and death have moved in an unfavourable direction- - seriously so in the case of birth; and but for the compensation of an apparently adventi¨tious change of considerable magnitude in the direction of migration, the population position might have legitimately given rise to even greater public concern than it has already done.

TABLE C .— BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND MIGRATION, 1931 -1939
(figures in thousands)

Great Britain Inward Balance
of Civilian
Passenger
Movement into
and out of the
United
Kingdom
Births Deaths
1931 (last 3 quarters) 541 374 76
1932 705 550 77
1933 667 561 48
1934 686 541 55
1935 687 543 54
1936 694 563 70
1937 698 579 6
1938 710 542 30
1939 (first 3 quarters) 546 426 83

Births over the years 1931-39 averaged 15.3 per 1,000 population per annum as compared with an average of 18.7 in the preceding 10 years, thus marking a further fall of more than 18 per cent. in the steep decline which has been the outstanding feature of the birth rate history of Great Britain during the past 60 years. The experience is amongst the lowest of all countries for which records are available; and the lowness is of extreme significance in that as a measure of fertility it is between 20 and 25 per cent. below the level which will have to he recovered and maintained if a future decline in population is to be avoided.

On the other hand the long fall at last shows signs of having been arrested. The lowest level touched was that of 14.7 per thousand in the year 1933, since when there has been a minute but continuous improvement raising the rate to 15.4 in 1938. In actual numbers, the present level of births is not inordinately low, as their maintenance at the current figure of about 700,000 per annum would be sufficient under peace conditions to sustain and stabilize the population at or near its present size. But the maintenance of an annual 700,000 births could only be achieved by a gradual increase in fertility sufficient to compensate for the decreasing number of women who are now passing into the child-bearing period. Whether such increase in fertility is to be realized or not depends on many factors, into a discussion of which it is not possible to enter within the limits of the present Report.

In regard to deaths, mortality, as measured by standardized rates which make allowance for the changing age distribution of the population, shows a further substantial decline between the two periods 1921-31 and .1931-38 amounting to 11 per cent. in England and Wales and 10 per cent. in Scotland, thus reducing it to a level of about one-half of what it was at the beginning of the century. Notwithstanding this welcome and apparently continuing improvement, the annual number of deaths now tends to rise rather than fall owing to the increasing proportions of the population at the older ages where the death frequencies are highest; and there is accordingly little likelihood of any numerical compensation from this factor to set against a future insufficiency in the numbers of births.

The movement of population not accounted for by the difference between births and deaths is shown in Table B to have been inward on balance and to have resulted in a net gain of 518,000 persons or nearly one-third of the total population increase of 1,765,000. This result is noteworthy as being in complete contrast to the similar records shown for the six previous decennia, in all of which migration, though irregular in amount, has been consistently outward on balance. It has to be borne in mind that balances so shown are merely differences between primary movements of much larger character in opposing directions and that change in either of the direct movements may have a quite disproportionate effect on the difference series. From such evidence as is available from the Board of Trade records in regard to true migrants as distinct from temporary travellers, it would appear that both emigration and immigration have fallen in volume during recent years, but that it is predominantly to the reduction of emigrants to a fraction only of their former weight of numbers that the change in the direction of the balance is now due. It will be observed that in Scotland the balance of migration though greatly reduced, was again outward in direction, an indication, no doubt of the continued movement of population from Scotland to England.


NORTHERN IRELAND

The National Register population of Northern Ireland (including an allowance, based on the 1937 census record, for inmates of institutions not individually identified in the register) amounted to 1,285,760 persons. For comparison with Ordinary census figures, however, a further allowance for non civilians and shipping population out the scope of the National Register Act must he added. From independent records dealing with these classes, it is indicated that their numbers at the end of September 1939 were of the order of 10,000, which accordingly raises the register figure to a national total of some 1,296 thousands. This figural is more than 16 thousands in excess of the 1937 census total enumerated 2 years and 7 months earlier. to view of the fact that the population had only increased by 23 thousands in the eleven years preceding 1937, the indicated increase of 16 thousands in lather more than 2g years appears to be abnormally high. It is possible that the register Figures themselves may still be subject to an element of undetected inflation through duplication of record or that the allowances made for the exclude,[ classes are excessive, though there has undoubtedly been an increase during recent months in the numbers sent over from Great Britain to Northern Ireland for training in military units stationed in the latter area.

An analysis of recent population movements affecting Northern Ireland will lie found in the Preliminary Report on the 1937 census published by the Registrar- General of Northern Ireland.


ISLE OF MAN

The National Register population of the Isle of Man amounted to .50,829 persons and exceeded the number returned on the occasion of the census of 1931 by 1,521 or 3.4 per cent. It is estimated that at the time of the enumeration approximately 1,000 normal residents were absent from the Island serving in His Majesty's Naval, Military or Air Forces or on Manx vessels employed on transport service.

Comparative figures showing the changes in the population of the Isle of Man since 1821 are given in the following table

TABLE AA. —ISLE OF MAN-POPULATION 1821-1939

Date of
Enumeration
as in Table A
Population Increase
Number Per cent.
1821 40081 - -
1831 41000 919 2.3
1841 47975 6975 17
1851 52387 4412 9.2
1861 52469 82 0.2
1871 54042 1573 3
1881 53558 -484 -0.9
1891 55608 2050 3.8
1901 54752 -856 -1.5
1911 52016 -2736 -5
1921 60284 8268 15.9
1931 49308 -10976 -18.2
1939 50829 1521 3.1

DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION WITHIN GREAT BRITAIN

In considering the distribution of the population within the country as presented by 0 ire National Register records it is important to boar in mind f hat it differs from similar distributions obtained from normal peace time records to all extent whit will impair, if it does not altogether destroy, the value of any comparisons between the one and the other.

In the first place the National Register totals do not embrace the whole population since, as has already been explained, they exclude non-civilians actually serving with the forces and also the population of ships in or nearing port. For the country as a whole it has been possible to estimate these excluded sections within reasonable limits and an addition equal to about 4.7 per cent. of the male population or 2.2 per cent, of the total population has been regarded as a reasonable corrective to bring the register totals into harmony with census records. But for portions of the country this procedure is not possible, as the incidence of the excluded elements varies widely in different areas and the necessary material is not available for its assessment. All that can be done is to point out that the disturbance is likely to be greatest where the said exceptions are prominent, i.e. in ports in respect of shipping population and in districts containing barracks or other service establishments in the case of non-civilians.

But the greater and more widespread disparity arises from the fact that the National Register enumeration was undertaken immediately after the official and private evacuation of large sections of the population from many of the more congested urban areas This subject has already been discussed from its broader aspects ; and it is sufficient here to observe that in view of the scale and ubiquity of these movements it is impossible to isolate or assess the effect of any other factor which may have contributed to the ascertained changes in local populations.

Evacuation, Reception and Neutral areas are severally identified in Table from which it will be found that only 268 out of a total of 1,470 Boroughs and County Districts in England and Wales and 41 out of a corresponding total of 228 in Scotland are scheduled as neutral areas under Government evacuation schemes. From many of the in the neighbourhood of industrial areas it is known that much private evacuation has taken place. Since the whole of the abnormal movement took place within a month or so prior to National Registration Day, it will be more accurately measured by reference to a peace time population of more recent date than that of the 1931 census; and for this purpose the mid 1938 estimate of each area as published by the Registrars General in their annual publication:: has been included as an additional measure of comparison in Table I. The mid- 1938 estimate, which is the latest at present available, has not the authority of an enumeration, but judging by past experience, it may be relied upon broadly to mark the division between the normal peace time trends operating prior to the war and the different and quite exceptional movements that have occurred since.

The following table shows approximately how the recent variations in the population were distributed in the geographical regions and large density aggre¨gates in which it is customary to summarise the records. The constitution of the regions is shown on page XXXii.

Prior to the outbreak of war and the consequent population disturbance, the regional movement, as reflected by the increases and decreases for the period 1931-1938, continued, in large measure, the experience of the previous decennium 1921-1931, though with some exceptions worth noting. Bearing in mind that the 1931-1938 periods relates to 7 years only, the general population drift towards London and the South Eastern counties which was the outstanding feature of the previous decennium will be seen to have been more than maintained. The gain is a little more marked on this occasion in the surrounding counties than in the metropolis itself, but it is consistently high and in the South Eastern region as a whole the increase is practically two and a half times that of the country at large. The Midland regions (MI and M2) are the only others in which the increase is in excess of that of England and Wales, again repeating the experience of the previous decennium. The industrial sections of the Northern region (N l, N3 and N4) all show progressive deterioration, the small earlier increase in Northumberland and Durham (NI) having now been converted to a more material decline, and the West Riding of Yorkshire (N3) and Lancashire and Cheshire (N4) having barely maintained their 1931 positions after moderate increases in the preceding decennium!. In both regions of Wales, the 1921-31 decline has been continued, with considerable acceleration in the coal mining areas of WI, to which is assigned the biggest fall shown in the table. In Scotland on the other hand, the slight decline recorded between 1921 and 1931 has once more been superseded by an increase equivalent to that of England and Wales, and located mainly in the two central regions identified within that country.

TABLE D. —GREAT BRITAIN: REGIONS AND DENSITY AGGREGATES
(figures in thousands)

(i) Populations (ii) Increase or Decrease (-) in Population (iii) Percentage Increase or Decrease (-) in Population (iv) Excess or defect (-) of local over national percentage increase (v) Approximate increase or decrease (-) through evacuation in 1939
N.R. 1939 Registrar General's Estimate, 1938 Census 1931 Census 1921 1938 to 1939 1931 to 1938 1921 to 1931 1938 to 1939 1931 to 1938 1921 to 1931 1938 to 1939 1931 to 1938 1921 to 1931 Per cent. Numbers in thousands
Great Britain 45559 46208 44795 42769 -649 1413 2026 -1.4 3.2 4.7 - - - - -
England and Wales 40652 41215 39952 37887 -563 1263 2065 -1.4 3.2 5.5 0.0 0.0 0.8 - -
                               
Regional Aggregates-  
Greater London 7178 8700 8204 7480 -1522 496 724 -17.5 6 9.7 -16.1 2.8 5 -16.6 -1444
Remainder of S.E. 6396 5790 5274 4796 606 516 478 10.5 9.8 10 11.9 6.6 5.3 10.8 625
North I 2108 2204 2243 2226 -96 -39 17 -4.4 -1.7 0.8 -3 -4.9 -3.9 -2.2 -48
North II 1317 1295 1278 1255 22 17 23 1.7 1.3 1.8 3.1 -1.9 -2.9 3.4 44
North III 3408 3460 3440 3270 -52 14 176 -1.5 0.4 5.4 -0.1 -2.8 0.7 0.4 14
North IV 6015 6162 6128 5954 -147 34 174 -2.4 0.6 2.9 -1 -2.6 -1.8 -0.6 -37
Midland I 4880 4751 4534 4263 129 217 271 2.7 4.8 6.4 4.1 1.6 1.7 3.8 181
Midland II 2529 2456 2366 2197 73 90 169 3 3.8 7.7 4.4 0.6 3 4.3 106
East 1955 1849 1822 1782 106 27 40 5.7 1.5 2.2 7.1 -1.7 -2.5 7.4 137
South West 2297 2083 2064 2008 214 19 56 10.3 0.9 2.8 11.7 -2.3 1.9 12.1 252
Wales I 1815 1783 1898 1939 32 -115 -41 1.8 -6.1 -2.1 3.2 -9.3 -6.8 4.8 86
Wales II 752 683 696 717 69 -13 -21 10.1 -1.9 2.9 11.5 -5.1 -7.6 12.3 84
                               
Density Aggregates-  
Greater London 7178 8700 8204 7480 -1522 496 724 -17.5 6 9.7 -16.1 2.8 5 -16.6 -1444
All C.B.s excluding Greater London 12263 12810 12799 12306 -547 11 493 -4.3 0.1 4 -2.9 -3.1 -0.7 -2.4 -307
All M.B.s and U.D.s 13176 12526 11941 11397 650 585 544 5.2 4.9 4.8 6.6 1.7 0.1 6.3 789
All R.D.s 8034 7179 7008 6704 855 171 304 11.9 2.4 4.5 13.3 -0.8 -0.2 13.4 962
                               
Scotland 4908 4993 4843 4882 -85 150 -39 -1.7 3.1 -0.8 - - - - -
                               
Regional Aggregates-  
Northern 1030 981 978 1045 49 3 -67 5 0.3 -6.4 6.7 -2.8 -5.6 7.2 71
East Central 1294 1359 1306 1294 -65 53 12 -4.8 4.1 0.9 -3.1 1 1.7 -3.3 -45
West Central 2315 2402 2308 2289 -87 94 19 -3.6 4.1 0.8 -1.9 1 1.6 -2.1 -51
Southern 269 250 251 254 19 -1 -3 7.6 -0.4 -1.5 9.3 -3.5 -0.7 9.9 25
                               
Density Aggregates-  
Large Burghs 2543 2748 2648 2580 -205 100 68 -7.5 3.8 2.6 -5.8 0.7 3.4 -5.9 -161
Small Burghs 809 761 737 777 48 24 -40 6.3 3.3 -5.1 8 0.2 -4.3 8 61
Landward 1555 1484 1458 1525 71 26 -67 4.8 1.8 -4.4 6.5 -1.3 -3.6 6.7 100

It is of interest to observe from the Density Summary of England and Wales that outside Greater London, such abnormal growth as is recorded for the period 1931-1938 is located in the smaller towns where the aggregate rate of increase was more than 50 per cent. in excess of that of the whole country. This is in contrast to the position of the County Boroughs, which barely maintained their 1931 level of population. In Scotland, large Burghs and small Burghs increased at rates rather higher than that of the total country, both of them at the expense of the rural landward areas.

As regards the change shown for the period 1938-.1939, i.e. from mid-1938 to the 29th September, 1939, it has already been explained that the 1939 figures are not strictly comparable as they stand with the estimates of 1938, in that the former exclude non-civilians, etc., estimated for Great Britain as a whole at about 2.2 per cent. of the total enumerated, so that the decrease of 1.4 per cent, shown in the table for Great Britain is compounded of a real increase of 0.8 per cent. abated by the 2.2 per cent. in respect of the section excluded from the 1939 count

The real increase of 0.8 per cent. is that which has occurred through the natural forces of birth and death and the balance of external migration ; in amount, it would appear to be about one-quarter of the corresponding increase of the preceding period 1931-1938.

In the same way, the 1938-1939 increases and decreases shown for Regions are compound effects subject to the same factors as those referred to in respect of the total population, namely, the exclusion of excepted classes from the 1939 figures and the forces of birth, death and migration, but with the difference that migration is not limited to movements to and from Great Britain as a whole but includes also internal migration as well. And as the bulk of the internal migration of the 1938-39 experience will have been due to emergency evacuation, the major interest in the record is likely to be found in the evidence it provides of the weight and incidence of the evacuation movement. This cannot be identified and separated precisely from the other contributory factors but a sufficient approximation thereto will probably be provided by the following broad treatment.

Since regional differences due to variations in the incidence of births, deaths, external migration, and the excepted 1939 classes are likely to be small in relation to the incidence of evacuation, the former may, in the absence of independent local records, be allowed for by assuming that local experience is similar to that of the country at large and that they were throughout responsible for a population increase of 3.2 per cent. over the years 1931-38 and a reduction in 1938-39 of 1.4 per cent. By deducting these percentages from the experienced regional movements, as is done in Part (iv) of Table D, the movement incidence is circum¨scribed to that arising from internal migration in the two periods. If it be further assumed that the ordinary peace time trend of inter-regional migration, as evidenced by the 1931-38 movements, continued to operate up to say August 1939, then the evacuation element alone would be represented by the difference between the total internal migration of the period 1938- 39 and one-sixth of the corres¨ponding movement in the 1931-38 period and on this basis it has been calculated and set out in Part (v) of the table.

From these figures it will be seen that the only region which appears to have suffered a serious loss of population through evacuation is that of Greater London, which contains few neutral areas and no reception areas and where the decline on this account amounts to as much as 16.6 per cent. or a number of the order of 1,440 thousands of persons. In a similar way, a loss of the same character but of the much smaller dimensions of rather more than 2 per cent. is indicated for region NI ( Northumberland and Durham) and a possible fractional loss for Lancashire and Cheshire (N4). All the remaining regions of England and Wales would appear to have gained on balance by the movement, the highest relative receptions being those indicated for W2 (North and Central Wales) and the .South West region (12 per cent.), the portion of the South East region outside Greater London (nearly 11 per cent.) and East region (nearly 7-1 per cent.). In Scotland both the East and West Central regions had temporarily lost population by evacuation on the 29th September, 1939 to the approximate extent of between 3 and 4 per cent. and between 2 and 3 per cent. respectively, the corresponding receptions being proportionally greatest in the Southern region (over 9 per cent,1, but numerically so in the Northern area.

Outside Greater London, the large towns, both in England and Wales and also Scotland have, in the aggregate, lost population on balance by evacuation to (England and Wales- -between 2 and 3 per cent.; Scotland over 6 per cent.) the benefit of both the smaller towns and the rural areas, the gains being propor¨tionately similar in these two classes of area in Scotland but in favour of the rural areas in England and Wales.

The region, however, is too large a unit to provide a satisfactory picture of the incidence of local evacuation movements. Of the three types into which die areas of the country have been scheduled under Government evacuation schemes, viz. evacuation, neutral and reception areas, only one region, that of W.2, is confined exclusively to one type. All the others embrace at least two types and most of them all three, so that grouping the different types within regions not only tends to under-rate the inter-regional movements by relating them to the total regional populations, but completely ignores transfers of which both origin and destination are within a regional boundary itself.

For a more comprehensive indication of the movement, the unit areas must be aggregated according to type as is done in Table E, though even here the classification, based upon official designations, is not precise, since many of the areas classed as neutral are known to have been affected by the evacuation of private individuals and commercial staffs outside the scope of official measures.

TABLE E. —GREAT BRITAIN: EVACUATION, RECEPTION AND NEUTRAL AREAS BY REGIONS

Regions Populations (thousands) Percentage Increase [or Decrease -] of Population
Evacuation Areas Reception Areas Neutral Areas Evacuation Areas Reception Areas Neutral Areas
N.R., 1939. Estimate, 1938 Census, 1931 N.R., 1939. Estimate, 1938 Census, 1931 N.R., 1939. Estimate, 1938 Census, 1931 1938-39 1931-38 1938-39 1931-38 1938-39 1931-38
                               
Great Britain 14323 16760 16705 19949 18067 17617 11289 11382 10473 -14.5 0.3 10.4 2.6 -0.8 8.7
                               
England and Wales 12681 14918 14932 17972 16227 15789 9998 10070 9231 -15 -0.1 10.8 2.8 -0.7 9.1
South East 5988 7617 7638 5040 4294 3940 2546 2580 1900 -21.4 -0.3 17.4 9 -1.3 35.8
North 4664 5194 5268 3873 3570 3531 4312 4357 4296 -10.2 -1.4 8.5 1.1 -1 1.4
Midland 1917 1987 1905 3420 3161 3041 2073 2059 1954 -3.5 4.3 8.2 3.9 0.7 5.4
East 112 121 121 1621 1504 1478 222 224 223 -7.2 -0.1 7.8 1.7 -1 0.5
South West - - - 2080 1848 1837 217 235 227 - - 12.5 0.6 -7.4 3.2
Wales - - - 1939 1850 1963 629 616 631 - - 4.8 -5.7 2.1 -2.4
                               
Scotland 1641 1842 1773 1976 1839 1828 1291 1312 1242 -10.9 3.9 7.4 0.6 1.6 5.6

From these figures, the evacuation movements themselves have been isolated from other contributory factors of increase and decrease in the approximate manner already described in connection with the previous table and they are summarized below in Table F.

TABLE F. —TRANSFERS OF POPULATION THROUGH EVALUALION AS AT 29TH SEPTEMBER 1939
(Negatives = losses; positives = gains)

Evacuation Areas Reception Areas Neutral Areas
Per cent. Number in thousands Per cent. Number in thousands Per cent. Number in thousands
             
Great Britain -12.6 -2112 11.9 2150 -0.3 -33
             
England and Wales -13 -1939 12.3 1990 -0.3 -30
Regions-            
South East -19.4 -1478 17.8 764 -5.3 -137
North -8 -416 10.3 368 0.7 30
Midland -2.3 -46 9.5 300 1.7 35
East -5.2 -6 9.4 141 0.8 2
South West - - 14.3 264 -6 -14
Wales - - 7.7 142 4.4 27
             
Scotland -9.6 -176 9.2 168 -0.6 -8

This analysis is designed to show the broad features of the movements; it does not purport to be precise and no attempt has been made to secure that the respective gains and losses exactly balance one another.

So far as the classification of the areas is concerned, it will be observed that in those designated neutral there is evidence of both losses and gains. And in every section of the country identified it is probable that the figures in the last two columns of the table represent neither evacuations nor receptions alone but merely the balance between them, and are therefore no direct guide to the magnitude of the separate movements in either direction. In respect of the South Eastern counties, for example, with which the bulk of all evacuation movements has been associated, it has been a matter of common experience to find in the neutral areas adjoining London that many residents have sought shelter away from their own homes and that their places have been taken at the same time by refugees from the greater risks of the more central areas of the metropolis. It is clear therefore that the estimated loss of 137 thousand for these areas does not represent the whole of the outward movements, and that a similar incompleteness of repre¨sentation must be assumed to attach to the records of neutral areas in other sections of the country. In the specifically designated evacuation and reception areas, the movements will have been practically wholly of the one-way type and their records will not be subject to the reservations and mutual counteractions of those in neutral areas.

Altogether it would appear, when regard is had to some under representation in respect of the neutral areas, that in the whole of Great Britain more than two ¨and-a-quarter millions of people, or 5 per cent. of the total population, left their homes for safer areas at or immediately after the outbreak of war. Of these, three-quarters were resident in the South Eastern area; and from the evacuation areas of that region the loss was equivalent to the much higher percentage drop of 20 per cent. or one in every five of the population there exposed to risk. From the evacuation areas of the Northern regions of England and Wales, the loss was of the order of 400 thousands or 8 per cent. and from the similarly selected areas in Scotland, it reached nearly 10 per cent. of the population involved, though the actual numbers were less than half those of the Northern regions of England and Wales.

The destinations of the refugees, as might be anticipated, were more widely scattered throughout the country. About one-third found shelter in the reception areas of the South East region where they swelled the local populations to the extent of about 18 per cent. In the South West the additions through this move¨ment amounted to some 14 per cent. of the local populations, while in the North, Midland and Fast Regions it was of the order of 10 per cent., in Wales 8, and in Scotland 9 per cent.

Wit Liu the aggregates representing evacuation and reception areas there is a wide variety in the incidence of the two movements and it is necessary to refer to the individual areas themselves for evidence of the more extreme disturbances.

The outward movement, as might be expected, reached its maximum in respect of the Ad minis native County of London the whole of which is scheduled as an evacuation men_ here the exodus of probably more than 900 thousand persons was equivalent to a loss of nearly 23 per cent. of the total population. In the more central Boroughs it was well above the average for the whole county and may even have reached 30 per cent. or more in Holborn, Westminster, St. Marylebone and Chelsea.

As a guide to the more prominent features which have distinguished the movements in areas outside London since the last census, the following record is appended of 1 he areas showing the largest percentage decreases and increases between the enumerated populations of 1931 and 1939 as appearing in column 12 of Table L The total movement in each case has been apportioned between the two periods 1931-38 and 1938-39 with the object of identifying that part of it which will have been influenced by the special conditions of the 1939 enumeration so far as the available records enable this to be done.

The highest decrease in the table is that of 31.7 per cent. recorded for West . I Tam CAL and there are 18 others with decreases amounting to 20 per cent. or more. Prominent amongst them are towns adjacent to London; and as the bulk of their losses are assigned to the last year of the period they will have been due preponder¨antly to evacuation. At the same time many of these areas were declining in population prior to 1938; and where this was at all significant it must be presumed to have contributed in a minor degree to the greater decreases of the 1938-39 period. The extent of the latter is also influenced by the fact that non-civilians and shipping populations have been excluded from the 1939 enumeration but not from the records of 1931 or 1938; and this no doubt largely accounts for the presence in the list of military areas such as Aldershot, Farnborough and Richmond (Yorks) and of port towns like Portland, Gillingham, Portsmouth, Sheerness and Dover though any of these areas may well have suffered losses by evacuation in addition. In the three Banffshire towns of Findochty, Buckie and Portknockie, the decrease must, no doubt, be mainly ascribed to the exclusion of members of the fishing population at sea on National Registration night.

From the lower half of the table it will be .seen that the range of increases between 1931 and 1939 is on a much wider scale than that of the decreases. And as, in the case of most of the areas there identified, the growth was proceeding at a rapid rate prior to 1938 it will usually have been due to exceptional residential development of an otherwise normal character and it will not ordinarily be possible to identify that portion of it (if any) to be assigned to the influx of evacuees. Where the bulk of the increase has occurred since 1938 and no other explanation is available, as in the case of Tonbridge RD., the evacuation factor may be suspected. But the possible existence of special local factors must not be overlooked such, for example, as the temporary influx of seasonal hop pickers which is in large part responsible for the increases shown for Cranbrook RD. and Ledbury R D or the presence of a German refugee camp to which the increase in Sandwich M.B. is due. Notwith¨standing their presences in the list of largest increases, towns like Chislehurst and Sidcup, Bexley, Carshalton, Harrow and East Barnet would appear to have lost rather than gained population as a result of evacuation transfers.


SEXES, AGES AND MARITAL CONDITIONS (GREAT BRITAIN) SEXES

When allowance is made for the male classes excluded from the National Register, the males and females of Great Britain may be regarded as numbering 22,370 thousands and 24,189 thousands respectively in 1939. The excess of females thus numbers 1,819 thousands, which amounts to 7.5 per cent. of the female total, and is represented by the ratio of 1,081 females to 1,000 males.

TABLE G. —AREAS OUTSIDE LONDON A.C. SHOWING THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE. DECREASES (-) AND INCREASES, 1931-1939

Area County Population Percentage increase or decrease (-).
N.R., 1939 R.G.s Estimate, 1938 Census 1931 1938-39 1931-38 1931-39
I. Decreases              
England and Wales-              

West Ham C B.

Essex 201024 254900 294278 -21.1 -13.4 -31.7

Leyton M.S.

Essex 92467 117200 128313 -21.1 -8.7 -27.9

Tottenham M B.

Middlesex 113871 144400 157667 -21.1 -8.4 -27.8

East Ham C.B.

Essex 103207 129,500 142394 -20.3 -9.1 -27.5

Salford CB,

Lancashire 166386 199400 223438 -16.6 -10.8 -25.5
 
             

Aldershot M.B

Southants 25527 36,120 34280 -29.3 5.4 -25.5

Acton M.B.

Middlesex 52197 68.670 70008 -24.0 -1.9 -25.4

Jarrow MD

Durham 26865 30,840 35747 -12.9 -13.7 -24.8

Hartlepool M.B.

Durham 15543 18,120 20638 -14.2 -12.2 -24.7

Hornsey MD. .

Middlesex 72436 96680 95416 -25.1 1.3 -24.1
 
             

Willesden M B

Middlesex 142004 787600 185025 -24.3 1.4 -23.3

Brentford and Chiswick M.B.

Middlesex 48595 61470 63217 -20.9 -2.8 -23.1

Barnes M B

Surrey 32952 40960 42440 -20.0 -3.5 -22.4

Walthamstow M.B.

Essex 103552 131800 132972 -20.8 -1.6 -22.1

Portland U D.

Dorset 9483 12240 12019 -22.5 1.8 -21.1
 
             

Gillingham M.B.

Kent 48841 70,600 61651 -30.8 14.5 -20.8

Portsmouth C.B.

Southants 199806 258,400 252421 -22.7 2.4 -20.8

Farnborough U.D.

Southants 15560 21,670 19532 -28.2 10.9 -20.3

Richmond R.D.

Yorkshire (N.R.) 14271 18,740 17858 -23.8 4.9 20.1

Penge U.D.

Kent 22274 25,520 27771 -12.7 -8.1 -19.8
 
             

Wimbledon M.B.

Surrey 47929 58,680 59515 -18.3 -1.4 -19.5

Wood Green M.B.

Middlesex 43746 53,190 54308 -17.8 -2.1 -19.4

Hepton R.D.

Yorkshire (W.R.) 3928 4,390 4855 -10.5 -9.6 -19.1

Manchester C.B.

Lancashire 621895 732,900 766311 -15.1 -4.4 -18.8

Sheerness U.D.

Kent 13683 16,370 16833 -16.4 -2.7 -18.7
 
             

Gateshead C.B.

Durham 101792 117000 124545 -13.0 -6.1 -18.3

Earby U.D.

Yorkshire (W.R.) 4610 4753 5522 3.0 -13.9 -16.5

Birkenhead C.B.

Chester 126664 144400 151513 -12.3 -4.7 -16.4

Dover M.B.

Kent 34617 39950 41281 -13.3 -3.2 -16.1

Kingston-upon-Hull C.B...

Yorkshire (E.R.) 263274 318700 313649 -17.4 1.6 -16.1
               
Scotland              

Findochty

Banff 1515 1712 1675 -11.5 2.2 -9.6

Dundee

Angus 160327 177960 176424 -9.9 0.9 -9.1

Buckie

Banff 7988 8481 8689 -5.8 -2.4 -8.1

Glasgow

Lanark 10100443 1127825 1093337 10.4 3.2 -7.6

Portknokie

Banff 1508 1657 1619 -9.0 2.3 -6.9
 
             

Edinburgh

Midlothian 408512 469448 439010 -13.0 6.9 -6.9

Rothes

Moray 1205 1294 1292 -6.9 0.2 -6.7

Cowdenbeath

Fife 11918 12440 12732 -4.2 -2.3 -6.4

Clydebank

Dunbarton 44108 47912 46991 -7.9 2 -6.1

Cromarty

Ross anf Cromarty 786 785 837 0.1 -6.2 -6.1
               
II. Increases              
England and Wales-              

Huyton with Roby U.D.

Lancashire 38399 29500 5199 30.2 467.4 638.6

Corby U.D.

Northants 10884 7155 1596 52.1 348.3 582

Ruislip Northwood U.D.

Middlesex 51001 40820 16035 24.9 154.6 218.1

Scalby U.D.

Yorkshire (N.R) 5674 4555 2317 24.6 96.6 144.9

Potters Bar U.D.

Middlesex 13681 12010 5720 13.9 110 139.2
 
             

Hayes and Harlington U.D.

Middlesex 54770 43930 22969 24.7 91.3 138.5

Worthing R D.

Sussex West 33108 23640 14005 40.1 68.8 136.4

Chislehurst and Sidcup U.D

Kent 62620 61,750 27156 1.4 127.4 130.6

Bexley M.B.

Kent 73711 77020 32652 -4.3 135.8 125.7

Feltham U.D.

Middlesex 35406 30,450 16066 16.3 89.5 120.4
 
             

Solihull U.D .

Warwick 53484 48310 25372 10.7 90.4 110.8

Rickmansworth U.D .

Hertford 24075 18700 11529 28.7 62.2 108.8

Sandwich N.B.

Kent 7652 3913 3687 95.5 6.1 107.5

Hornehurch U.D

Essex 81486 76000 39389 7.2 92.9 106.9

Carshalton U.D

Surrey 57375 58730 28586 -2.3 105.5 100.7
 
             

Harrow U.D.

Middlesex 187591 183500 96656 2.2 89.8 94.1

Welwyn Garden City U.D.

Hertford 16728 12150 8712 37.7 39.5 92

Cranbrook R.D.

Kent 24807 13250 12927 87.2 2.5 91.9

Orpington U.D.

Kent 49500 46320 25858 6.9 79.1 91.4

Haltemprice U.D

Yorkshire (E.R) 31958 28230 16757 13.2 68.5 90.7
 
             

Droylsden U.D

Lancashire 25279 23710 13340 6.6 77.7 89.5

Southwick U.D.

Sussex West 11389 9532 6138 19.5 55.3 85.5

Wirral U.D.

Chester 17640 12660 9599 39.3 31.9 83.8

Hatfeld R.D.

Hertford 20677 16500 11253 25.3 46.6 83.7

East Barnet U.D.

Hertford 33594 32830 18549 2.3 77 81.1
 
             

Epsom and Ewell M.B.

Surrey 63228 59930 35231 5.5 70.1 79.5

Ledbury R.D.

Hereford 15491 8195 8707 89.0 -5.9 77.9

Canvey Island U.D.

Essex 6248 6579 3532 -5.0 86.3 76.9

Tonbridge R.D.

Kent 31609 19240 18063 64.3 6.5 75

Cheadle and Gatley U.D.

Chester 32245 26220 18535 23.0 41.5 74
               
Scotland-              

Whitburn

West Lothian 4221 4081 2440 3.4 67.3 73

Largs

Ayr 9715 6129 6134 58.5 -0.1 58.4

Millport

Bute 3147 1508 2083 108.7 -27.6 51.1

Moffat

Dumfries 2857 1990 2006 43.6 -0.8 42.4

New Galloway

Kirkcudbright 430 314 307 36.9 2.3 40.1
 
             

Prestwick

Ayr 11693 9692 8538 20.6 13.5 37

Alyth

Perth 2244 1807 1662 24.2 8.7 35

Penicuik

Midlothian 4755 4222 3632 12.6 16.2 30.9

Dunoon

Argyll 11478 7902 8780 45.2 -10.0 30.7

Kingussie

Inverness 1394 981 1067 42.1 -8.1 30.6

Comparison with the femininity proportions at previous censuses of Great Britain Iron, 1841 is as follows: —

Year Females per 1,000 males Year Females per 1,000 males
1841 1,055 1901 1,067
1851 1,050 1911 1,067
1861 1,060 1921 1,094
1871 1,059 1931 1,087
1881 1,058 1939 1,081
1891 1,064    

Prior to 1911, the change in proportions was irregular but with a rising tendency on the whole, and this was followed by a jump in 1921 which was much greater than the whole of the previous changes recorded in the table and was a direct consequence of the losses of men in the 1914-18 war. Since 1921 the maximum has been slightly abated by the high masculinity of the subsequent births but the proportion is still outstandingly higher than that of any period prior to 1921.

The excess does not affect all ages alike; and a more informative picture of its incidence and recent changes is given by the following illustrative table in which the 1939 proportions of England and Wales comprising 89.2 per cent of the total population of Great Britain, and based upon population age estimates obtained in a manner to be described later, are set out in comparison with those of the censuses of 1921 and 1931.

TABLE H. —FEMALES PER 1,000 MALES, BY AGE. ENGLAND AND WALES.

Age Females per 1,000 Males in each age group Numerical Excess of Females (thousands)
1921 1931 1939 1921 1931 1939
             
All ages 1096 1088 1080 1736 1686 1604
             
0-5 976 980 960 -41 -30 -58
5-10 992 980 976 -15 -33 -35
10-15 992 980 989 -14 -33 -17
15-20 1027 1009 997 47 15 -5
20-25 1176 1056 1009 255 96 13
25-30 1209 1061 1032 280 99 54
30-35 1186 1132 1036 238 189 61
35-40 1156 1185 1048 199 237 76
40-45 1127 1167 1177 155 205 233
45-50 1071 1152 1178 82 180 219
50-55 1074 1133 1170 72 149 195
55-60 1086 1095 1174 67 94 183
60-65 1133 1130 1166 80 101 152
65-70 1196 1199 1188 88 115 135
70-75 1342 1311 1282 96 118 136
75-80 1472 1451 1481 75 92 124
80-85 1687 1700 1775 46 58 86
85 and over 2040 2143 2275 26 35 51

In the main, the 1939 proportions exhibit the characteristics which have always attended this type of record, namely, an excess of males at the youngest ages, due to the preponderance of males at birth, which is gradually reduced as a result of the higher mortality experienced by that sex to a position of equality with the females at or about the ages of adolescence, and is then converted to female excess with a. progressively increasing tendency thereafter up to the end of life. But, besides the more fundamental features, the records contain evidence of other influences of less regular character. The most notable is the abrupt augmentation of the female excess in the 1939 series between the ages of 40 and 60; it corresponds to similar excesses between 30 and 50 in 1931 and between 20 and 40 in 1921, and is obviously a reflection of the losses of men in the 1914-18 war.

This must remain a feature of the population record, at advancing ages, until the whole of that war generation has passed away. Another factor which has influenced recent records ia this series is the rise which occurred in the masculinity of the birth rate immediately after the last war, and the higher level at which it has been maintained ever since. The result of this has been that the male excess at the youngest ages commences at a higher figure and extends to a later age than it did formerly, a transposition which has been assisted also by the simultaneous diminution that has taken place in infant and child mortality.

Males are in excess of females at ages up to 15 by 110 thousands as compared with 96 thousands in_ 1931 and 70 thousands in 1921, while in the age group 15-20, where females were in excess in the past, males are now shown as predominating by a small majority.

A more significant change is that recorded for the age group 20-30, the period at which the bulk of marriages occur. In 1921 females outnumbered males by more than half a million in this group, but by 1931 the excess was reduced to less than 200 thousands and is now only 67 thousands, yielding a proportion of 1,021 females per 1,000 males as compared with a proportion of 1,113 in 1911 prior to the last war.

It is necessary, to add that the excesses and proportions at the young adult age periods in 1939 are 'Subject to possible error in that they depend upon the estimated additions made- to the male population in respect of the classes excluded from National Registration.

The cumulative effect of differential mortality between the sexes produces its maximum impression at the more advanced ages where there is a rapid accelera¨tion of the female preponderance, the proportions rising rapidly after age 70 and reaching the ratio of more than two females to one male in the final age group shown in the table.'

AGES

Compared with the type of age analysis that is usually associated with a census record prepared in a central statistical office with access to tabulating Machinery, the age statistics available from the National Register enumeration will be found to be restricted in scope and presented in a somewhat unfamiliar form. The original analysis in this case was performed, not by the staffs of the Registrars. General, but by the district enumerators, and the contribution of the central offices was limited to aggregating the separate enumeration analyses up to Towns, Country Districts, Counties, etc. This procedure had the advantage of accelerating the production of the record by spreading the work over the 65,000 enumeration staff, but it carried with it the drawback that the said staff were quite inexperienced in statistical operations and that, to be successful, the number of groups to be identified in the analysis had to be restricted within the narrowest practicable limits. Again, the householders schedule, on which the information was originally recorded, required a statement of each person's date of birth and not his age as has been customary at a census ; this involved the further innovation of conditioning the age groups to calendar years of birth rather than risk the error and confusion that would have been bound to arise if the enumerator had been asked to go through the mental process of translating each date of birth into current age. In consequence of these procedure restrictions, the number of groups identified throughout the published tables is limited to nine in respect of each sex and being calendar year of birth groups, they do not correspond with integral years of age owing to the fact that the enumeration took place at the end of the third quarter of 1939.

Both the year of birth groups and the corresponding ages as at date of enumeration are shown in the following table which sets out the aggregated records for Great Britain as a whole and for each of its national constituents.

The effect of the exclusion from the National Register populations of members of the Armed Forces is brought out in the age table by the shortage of males in ï comparison with females which is suddenly developed in the age group l4Fl94. This deficiency should reach the maximum of its incidence in the next group and thereafter diminish to negligible proportions after about age 45. Its disappearance cannot however be detected from the comparative figures of the table, for before that point is I cached it is masked by the more normal excess of females which begins to be apparent at the adult ages, owing to the lower mortality and therefore the hither rate of survivorship experienced by that sex, and which increases with advancing age throughout the remainder of life.

TABLE J. —P0FULATIONS IN AGE. GRUPS, GREAT BRITAIN.

Year of Birth Age at 29 September, 1939 Great Britain England and Wales Scotland
Male Female Male Female Male Female
Numbers (in thousands)              
               
Total All Ages 21370 24189 19074 21578 2296 2611
               
1935- 4 ¾ 1590 1529 1394 1339 196 191
1925-34 4 ¾ - 14 ¾ 3355 3295 2941 2888 414 407
1920-24 14 ¾ - 19 ¾ 1810 2005 1602 1771 207 234
1915-19 19 ¾ - 23 ¾ 1351 1710 1205 1519 146 191
1905-14 24 ¾ - 34 ¾ 3490 3944 3136 3530 354 414
1895-04 34 ¾ - 44 ¾ 3121 3589 2809 3222 311 367
1885-94 44 ¾ - 54 ¾ 2614 3112 2358 2803 255 308
1875-84 54 ¾ - 64 ¾ 2196 2569 1976 2316 220 253
-74 64 ¾ 1845 2436 1653 2190 192 246
               
Age Proportions per 1,000 of each sex              
               
Total All Ages 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000
               
1935- 4 ¾ 74 63 73 62 85 73
1925-34 4 ¾ - 14 ¾ 157 136 154 134 180 156
1920-24 14 ¾ - 19 ¾ 85 83 84 82 90 90
1915-19 19 ¾ - 23 ¾ 63 71 63 70 64 73
1905-14 24 ¾ - 34 ¾ 164 163 164 164 155 158
1895-04 34 ¾ - 44 ¾ 146 148 147 149 135 141
1885-94 44 ¾ - 54 ¾ 122 129 124 130 111 118
1875-84 54 ¾ - 64 ¾ 103 106 104 107 96 97
-74 64 ¾ 86 101 87 102 84 94

From the lower half of the table, in which the distributions are set out in the form of age proportions per 1,000 total of each sex, it may be gathered that in Scotland the population is younger on average than in England and Wales. For many years the decremental forces both of mortality and migration have been higher in the north with the consequence that the proportional representation tends to be higher at the ages of infancy and childhood and lower at the later years of life.

Corresponding proportionate distributions of tire male and female population of geographical regions of Great Britain, based on the age analyses of Table 11, are summarised in the following table.

As with the national proportions, these distributions reflect in an aggregated Iona the combined effect of the forces of fertility, mortality and migration to which the areas have been subject over the whole of the life time of the existing popula¨tions. The differential incidence of the controlling factors has, as a rule, been sufficiently consistent and continuous to impart to the several regional distributions characteristics matures which have persisted over many decades. But the con¨tinuity has been interrupted on the present occasion by the exceptional evacuation movements of recent weeks which bear no resemblance to normal migration either in quantity, direction or age incidence. The bulk transfer has been mainly that of children of the school age group but it extends also to younger infants as well; and it is marked in the table by significant depressions in the sending regions and corresponding augmentation in the reception areas at the two youngest age periods directly affected, accompanied by consequential increases and decreases in the respective proportions in the later age groups.

TABLE K. —AGE PROPORTIONS PER 1,000 POPULATION OF EACH SEX. REGIONS.

Age at 29 Sept., 1939 Regions-Eng and and Wales Regions-Scotland
Greater London S.E. Remr. North 1 North 2 North 3 North 4 Midland 1 Midland 2 East South West Wales 1 Wales 2 Northern East Central West Central Southern
                                 
Total Population (in thousands)
Male 3,410 2,883 1,020 621 1,614 2,789 2,333 1,208 930 1,030 886 351 466 601 1,107 122
Female 3,768 3,513 1,089 696 1,794 3,226 2,547 1,321 1,025 1,267 929 402 564 693 1,208 146
                                 
Age Proportions per 1,000 of each sex
Male 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
4 ¾ 57 80 80 81 72 73 77 74 76 78 77 78 90 81 86 87
4 ¾ - 14 ¾ 90 190 166 189 148 146 158 169 191 180 168 200 216 169 169 217
14 ¾ - 19 ¾ 88 76 95 85 85 84 87 85 80 75 88 79 82 92 94 79
19 ¾ - 24 ¾ 73 54 64 58 64 62 70 64 57 50 63 56 50 63 71 51
24 ¾ - 34 ¾ 200 149 150 148 163 164 171 162 146 142 149 139 134 158 162 136
34 ¾ - 44 ¾ 167 134 142 136 153 152 147 148 132 136 145 131 123 140 139 126
44 ¾ - 54 ¾ 136 116 122 115 127 130 117 118 114 122 127 113 103 115 113 106
54 ¾ - 64 ¾ 108 102 102 101 107 107 95 98 102 108 102 103 95 99 94 100
64 ¾ 81 99 79 87 81 82 78 82 102 109 81 101 107 83 72 98
                                 
Female 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
4 ¾ 49 63 72 70 62 61 67 66 66 61 70 65 72 68 77 70
4 ¾ - 14 ¾ 79 152 152 165 132 126 143 151 166 145 158 169 173 142 153 177
14 ¾ - 19 ¾ 85 74 93 85 84 82 86 83 79 74 89 75 80 91 95 76
19 ¾ - 23 ¾ 81 64 73 67 71 70 74 70 64 60 71 61 61 74 80 59
24 ¾ - 34 ¾ 185 157 156 153 163 164 166 163 151 151 158 145 146 162 163 146
34 ¾ - 44 ¾ 164 140 146 140 154 153 147 150 136 142 148 140 134 143 143 136
44 ¾ - 54 ¾ 143 124 126 121 132 136 123 125 120 127 126 120 112 122 119 119
54 ¾ - 64 ¾ 113 108 100 103 109 113 100 100 104 111 97 109 101 101 92 105
64 ¾ 101 118 82 96 93 95 94 92 114 129 83 116 121 97 78 112

As has already been made clear the only age records directly available from the National Register enumeration itself are those of the nine irregular age periods in which the statistics are presented in Tables II to IV of this volume and in the summaries of Tables J and K. Age periods involving fractions of a year of age however are not convenient for general reference or for ready comparison with census and other records which follow the more conventional type of quinquennial grouping 0-5, 5-10, etc., and it will often be of advantage to he able to subdivide or transform the nine standard groups, at any rate of the larger and more important populations, even at the risk of introducing an element of approximation in the resulting distribution. Means for this purpose are available in the information bearing on the age structure of the population which already exists from other sources, and for illustrative purposes use was made of the material found in the records of England and Wales, in respect of which estimates of the age distribution of the population are published each year in the Registrar-General's Statistical Review. As explained in those publications, the successive estimates since 1931 have been built up year by 3-ear from the census of 1931 by a survivorship process which, in relation to each year's operations, may be briefly described as (1) obtaining the year's deaths arising from the population at each age at the beginning of the year and treating the survivors as the population at the next higher age at the end of the year (2) com¨pleting the table by the addition of the population aged 0-1 at the end of the year, represented by the survivors at that date of the births which occurred in the year and (3) adjusting the result of the first two operations in respect of migrants with such age statistics as are available in respect of them. Of the elements entering into this computation, the record of births is believed to be precise and complete while that of deaths is complete in numbers and, though possibly subject to occasional age mis-statement, is probably no less reliable in that respect than that of a census enumeration. In the age assignment of migrants, there is more room for error; but the movement is known to be associated predominantly with the younger adult section of the community and with the aid of the partial age records published in respect of migrants by the Board of Trade, the error will have been kept within fairly narrow limits.

The survivorship process thus described has been carried forward to the 29th September, 1939, the date of the National Register enumeration, and an independ¨ently estimated age distribution of the population by individual years of age is thus available which is comparable in point of time with the group distribution derived from the National Register. The successive steps in the process of assimi¨lating the survivorship estimates to the National Register age group totals are set out in Table L.

The estimates as originally derived by survivorship from the 1931 census and subsequent births are shown in quinquennial groups of age in column 2. In the case of females, the estimates are comparable with the National Registration returns without further adjustment ; but in respect of males they have first to be modified so as to exclude the non-civilian and shipping population excepted from National Registration The total of 900 thousands already assigned for these classes in England and Wales has therefore been distributed by age on the basis of such age records as ale available in respect of them (including a specific allowance for men called up under the Military Training Act of 1939) and deducted from the figures in the male section of column 2. The diminished estimates, which are now com¨parable with the National Register figures, are shown both by quinquennial age groups and by the National Register age groups in column 3.

The haste age totals yielded by the National Register enumeration are shown in column 4, and the differences between estimates and enumerated are set out in numerical and percentage form in the upper sections of columns 5 and 6. From the latter it can be inferred that the true age distribution is reproduced with little error Over the bulk of its range by the survivorship estimates, and in this sense repeats the experience which has been gained from similar comparisons between estimated and enumerated at past censuses.

The trend of the differences is generally similar for each of the sexes. To what extent they have arisen through imperfections in the method of estimation and how far through original mis-statements of age by members of the public either at death or at enumeration it is impossible to test with the limited data available.

TABLE L. —ENGLAND AND WALES: DISTRIBUTION OF N.R. POPULATION BY QUINQUENNIAL GROUPS OF AGE.
(number in thousands)

Age group Survivorship Estimate as at 29 September, 1939 National Register Population
Total Total Exclusive of male classes excepted from N.R. As Enumerated Excess or deficiency (-) of estimate over enumerated (3) - (4) Approximate distribution in quinquennial age groups
Amount Percentage of enumerated Numbers (3) - (5) Percentage of N.R. age group
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
MALES              
All ages 19,974 19,074 19,074 - - 19,074  
               
N.R. Age Groups          
0 - 4 ¾ - 1,394 1,394 0 0 - -
4 ¾ - 14 ¾ - 2,978 2,941 37 1.3 - -
14 ¾ - 19 ¾ - 1,620 1,602 18 1.1 - -
19 ¾ - 23 ¾ - 1,180 1,205 -25 -2.1 - -
24 ¾ - 34 ¾ - 3,069 3,136 -67 -2.1 - -
34 ¾ - 44 ¾ - 2,850 2,809 41 1.5 - -
44 ¾ - 54 ¾ - 2,356 2,358 -2 -0.1 - -
54 ¾ - 64 ¾ - 1,984 1,976 8 0.4 - -
64 ¾ - 1,643 1,653 -10 -0.6 - -
               
Quinquennial Age Groups          
0-5 1,465 1,465 - 0 - 1,465 105.1 per cent. Of N.R. group 0 - 4 ¾
5-10 1,444 1,444 - 15 - 1,429 48.5 per cent. Of N.R. group 4 ¾ - 14 ¾
10-15 1,545 1,544 - 23 - 1,521 51.7 per cent. Of N.R. group 4 ¾ - 14 ¾
15-20 1,821 1,629 - 16 - 1,613 100.6 per cent. Of N.R. group 14 ¾ - 19 ¾
20-25 1,457 1,164 - -27 - 1,191 98.8 per cent. Of N.R. group 19 ¾ - 23 ¾
25-30 1,671 1,508 - -39 - 1,547 49.3 per cent. Of N.R. group 24 ¾ - 34 ¾
30-35 1,680 1,566 - -26 - 1,592 50.8 per cent. Of N.R. group 24 ¾ - 34 ¾
35-40 1,607 1,546 - 20 - 1,526 54.3 per cent. Of N.R. group 34 ¾ - 44 ¾
40-45 1,336 1,288 - 22 - 1,266 45.1 per cent. Of N.R. group 34 ¾ - 44 ¾
45-50 1,230 1,208 - 2 - 1,206 51.1 per cent. Of N.R. group 44 ¾ - 54 ¾
50-55 1,145 1,141 - -5 - 1,146 48.6 per cent. Of N.R. group 44 ¾ - 54 ¾
55-60 1,052 1,050 - 1 - 1,049 53.1 per cent. Of N.R. group 54 ¾ - 64 ¾
60-65 921 921 - 7 - 914 46.3 per cent. Of N.R. group 54 ¾ - 64 ¾
65-70 715 715 - -3 - 718 43.4 per cent. Of N.R. group 64 ¾
70-75 476 476 - -6 - 482 29.2 per cent. Of N.R. group 64 ¾
75-80 258 258 - 0 - 258 15.6 per cent. Of N.R. group 64 ¾
80-85 111 111 - 0 - 111 6.7 per cent. Of N.R. group 64 ¾
85 and over 40 40 - 0 - 40 2.4 per cent. Of N.R. group 64 ¾
  0 0 0     0  
FEMALES            
All ages 21,578 21,578 - - 21,578 -
             
N.R. Age Groups          
0 - 4 ¾ 1,343 1,339 4 0.3 - -
4 ¾ - 14 ¾ 2,912 2,888 24 0.8 - -
14 ¾ - 19 ¾ 1,760 1,771 -11 -0.6 - -
19 ¾ - 23 ¾ 1,484 1,519 -35 -2.3 - -
24 ¾ - 34 ¾ 3,490 3,530 -40 -1.1 - -
34 ¾ - 44 ¾ 3,261 3,222 39 1.2 - -
44 ¾ - 54 ¾ 2,832 2,803 29 1.0 - -
54 ¾ - 64 ¾ 2,349 2,316 33 1.4 - -
64 ¾ 2,147 2,190 -43 -2.0 - -
             
Quinquennial Age Groups          
0-5 1,411 - 4 - 1,407 105.1 per cent. Of N.R. group 0 - 4 ¾
5-10 1,406 - 12 - 1,394 48.3 per cent. Of N.R. group 4 ¾ - 14 ¾
10-15 1,516 - 11 - 1,505 52.1 per cent. Of N.R. group 4 ¾ - 14 ¾
15-20 1,786 - -13 - 1,799 101.6 per cent. Of N.R. group 14 ¾ - 19 ¾
20-25 1,462 - -35 - 1,497 98.6 per cent. Of N.R. group 19 ¾ - 23 ¾
25-30 1,736 - -29 - 1,765 50.0 per cent. Of N.R. group 24 ¾ - 34 ¾
30-35 1,757 - -10 - 1,767 50.0 per cent. Of N.R. group 24 ¾ - 34 ¾
35-40 1,683 - 19 - 1,664 51.6 per cent. Of N.R. group 34 ¾ - 44 ¾
40-45 1,568 - 22 - 1,546 48.0 per cent. Of N.R. group 34 ¾ - 44 ¾
45-50 1,462 - 15 - 1,447 51.6 per cent. Of N.R. group 44 ¾ - 54 ¾
50-55 1,360 - 14 - 1,346 48.0 per cent. Of N.R. group 44 ¾ - 54 ¾
55-60 1,251 - 17 - 1,234 53.3 per cent. Of N.R. group 54 ¾ - 64 ¾
60-65 1,082 - 16 - 1,066 46.0 per cent. Of N.R. group 54 ¾ - 64 ¾
65-70 849 - -4 - 853 38.9 per cent. Of N.R. group 64 ¾
70-75 607 - -11 - 618 28.2 per cent. Of N.R. group 64 ¾
75-80 373 - -9 - 382 17.4 per cent. Of N.R. group 64 ¾
80-85 188 - -9 - 197 9.0 per cent. Of N.R. group 64 ¾
85 and over 81 - -10 - 91 4.2 per cent. Of N.R. group 64 ¾

It is sufficient to observe that they are nowhere large and can therefore be trans¨formed to quinquennial groups of age without risk of material error. This has been clone by graphically distributing the basic differences in the upper portions of column 5 over individual years of age and reaggregating the units into quinquennial groups which are set out in the lower portions of column 5. Deducting the latter from the survivorship estimates of column 3, a population distribution by quin¨quennial groups of age is finally reached (col. 7) which conforms to the National Register distribution and at the same time preserves the known characteristics of the population structure and may therefore be confidently accepted as a close approximation to the actual distribution in 1939.

The transformation, as set out above, in strictness applies only to the population of England and Wales as a whole; and the same or equally satisfactory alternative methods should be used in respect of other populations whose characteristics are known. [n their absence, first approximations to the required quinquennial distributions will usually be obtainable by the use of the percentages shown in column 8 of the tablet and these should he sufficient for most purposes for which figures ;ire likely to be required.


MARITAL CONDITION

In Table 11 are set out analyses by sex, age and marital condition of the National Register populations of England and Wales, Scotland and the Isle of Man and of their constituent regions, density aggregates, counties and large towns. In connection with these analyses, the reader must be reminded once again that, compared with similar census analyses, the males are on this occasion deficient in respect of non-civilians and shipping population excluded from the National Register. In discussing total populations and also the age incidence it has been possible, by reference to other sources of vinformation, to indicate the effect these exclusions have had on the resulting figures but the information available does not extend to the marital status of the excluded classes. No adjustments in this direction are therefore possible, to the detriment, in consequence, of comparisons that might ether wise have been made between the respective marital distributions of males and females or between that of males in 1939 and the similar distributions at past censuses.

In the whole of Great Britain and the Isle of Man, of the total 21,393 thousand males enumerated, 10,203 or 47.7 per cent. were single, 10,299 (48.1 per cent.) married and the balance of 891 (4.2 per cent.) widowed or divorced ; similarly of the total 24,217 thousand females enumerated, 11,178 or 46-2 per cent. were single, 10,778 (44.5 per cent.) married and 2,261 (9.3 per cent.) widowed or divorced.

In Great Britain alone, the numbers were of course fractionally less; they are summarised by age groups in Table M and compared there with the similar distribu¨tion of the 1931 census record.

From this table it will be observed that, in the eight years between 1931 and 1939, with an increase in the total female population of 3.7 per cent., the un¨married have declined by 5.7 per cent., simultaneously with increases between two and three times as large in both the married and widowed sections, viz. 13.4 and 12.5 per cent. respectively.

The whole of the reduction in the unmarried is located at the younger ages ; and there is also a small decline in the numbers of widows in the earlier part of the age field, though t his is more than counteracted by much greater increases at the later periods of life. The numbers of married, by way of contrast, exhibit considerable growth over all age periods; and it is of interest to note that in respect of the child¨bearing period in particular, the married are not only more numerous by over 700,000 than they were in 1931, but that in regard to its incidence the rise is relatively highest at the earliest ages where it may accordingly be expected to exercise a greater influence on the ensuing birthrate.

TABLE M. —SEX, AGE AND MARITAL CONDITION DISTRIBUTION—GREAT BRITAIN NATIONAL REGISTER, 1939.

Age Males Females
Total Single Married Widowed and Divorced Total Single Married Widowed and Divorced
 
(a ) Population in thousands
All ages 21,370 10,191 10,289 890 24,189 11,164 10,767 2,257
Under 14 ¾ 4,945 4,945 - - 4,824 4,824 - -
14 ¾ - 19 ¾ 1,810 1,800 10 - 2,005 1,952 53 -
19 ¾ - 24 ¾ 1,351 1,134 216 1 1,710 1,156 551 3
24 ¾ - 34 ¾ 3,490 1,214 2,255 20 3,944 1,170 2,737 38
34 ¾ - 44 ¾ 3,121 441 2,625 54 3,589 702 2,749 139
44 ¾ - 54 ¾ 2,614 259 2,252 103 3,112 533 2,234 345
54 ¾ - 64 ¾ 2,196 224 1,768 204 2,569 415 1,579 575
Over 64 ¾ 1,845 174 1,162 508 2,436 412 864 1,159
 
(b ) Increase or Decrease (—) in thousands, 1931-39
All ages -88 -1075 925 63 853 -673 1275 250
Under 14 ¾ -434 -434 - - -449 -449 - -
14 ¾ - 19 ¾ -109 -114 5 - 73 50 22 -
19 ¾ - 24 ¾ -557 -539 -18 0 -300 -376 76 1
24 ¾ - 34 ¾ 59 -75 138 -5 192 -135 335 -6
34 ¾ - 44 ¾ 322 69 255 -3 294 41 288 -34
44 ¾ - 54 ¾ 50 -33 94 -11 180 37 133 10
54 ¾ - 64 ¾ 202 9 192 1 364 59 217 88
Over 64 ¾ 381 41 259 80 499 101 204 193
 
(c ) Increase or Decrease (—) per cent., 1931-39
All ages -0.4 -9.5 9.9 7.6 3.7 -5.7 13.4 12.5
Under 14 ¾ -8.1 -8.1 - - -8.5 -8.5 - -
14 ¾ - 19 ¾ -5.7 -6 100 - 3.8 2.6 71 -
19 ¾ - 24 ¾ -29.2 -32.2 -7.7 0 -14.9 -24.5 16 50
24 ¾ - 34 ¾ 1.7 -5.8 6.5 -20 5 .1 -10.3 13.9 -13.6
34 ¾ - 44 ¾ 11.5 18.6 10.8 -5.3 8.9 6.2 11.7 -19.7
44 ¾ - 54 ¾ 2 -11.3 4.4 -9.7 6.1 7.5 6.3 3
54 ¾ - 64 ¾ 10.1 4.2 12.2 0.5 16.5 16.6 15.9 18.1
Over 64 ¾ 26 30.8 28.7 18.7 25.8 32.5 30.9 20

The change in the incidence of the marital classes has been due partly to the general ageing of the population (that is to say, to the relatively heavier increases in the population at the later years of active adult life where the proportions of married are normally at their Ugliest), and partly to the continuous and considerable increases in the frequencies o new marriages at practically all ages which hate been a feature of recent years The effect of the latter is clearly seen in the com¨parative figures of 1921-1939 shown for Great Britain in Table N which sets out the proportionate distributions per 1,000 total female population in each case and in Table 0 which shows the proportions of women married in each age group.

The rate of marrying amongst women is at its maximum between 20 and 25; and it will be seen that, of the 1939 population in this group 32-2 per cent. were returned as married, a proportion nearly a half as much again as the corresponding percentage of 1931 (23.7 per cent.). The relative increase in percentage married is even more marked at ages below 20 ; and though it diminishes after 25 it is still of moment up to age 45, a situation which could only have been brought about by a material increase in the numbers of new marriages. If the proportions of married in each age group had remained the same as they were in 1931, the total number of married women in 1939 would have amounted to 10,292 thousands instead of the 10,767 thousands enumerated. So that it may be said that of the total 1931-39 increase of one and a quarter millions in the number of married women in Great Britain, nearly two-thirds is due to the general advance in the age of the population and rather more than one-third to the increase in the marriage rates of the intervening period.

TABLE N. —AGE AND MARITAL CONDITION DISTRIBUTION OF FEMALES PER 1,000 TOTAL FEMALE POPULATION IN EACH AREA

All Ages Age
Under 14 ¾ 14 ¾ - 19 ¾ 19 ¾ - 24 ¾ 24 ¾ - 34 ¾ 34 ¾ - 44 ¾ 44 ¾ - 54 ¾ 54 ¾ - 64 ¾ Over 64 ¾
Great Britain, 1939 S 462 200 81 48 48 29 22 17 17
M 445 - 2 23 113 114 92 65 36
W. & D. 93 - 0 0 2 6 14 24 47
Great Britain, 1931 S 507 226 82 66 56 28 21 15 13
M 407 - 1 20 103 106 90 59 28
W. & D. 86 - - 0 2 7 14 21 42
Great Britain, 1921 S 541 261 89 65 56 28 20 12 10
M 377 - 1 22 97 105 83 47 22
W. & D. 82 - - 0 5 9 13 19 36
England and Wales, 1939 S 453 195 80 47 47 28 22 17 17
M 453 - 2 23 115 115 94 67 37
W. & D. 94 - 0 0 2 6 14 24 48
Regions of England and Wales, 1939-                    

Greater London

S 422 128 83 56 61 35 25 17 17
M 476 - 2 24 122 122 102 69 35
W. & D. 102 - 0 0 2 7 17 27 49

Remainder of South East

S 471 215 72 42 44 28 25 21 24
M 435 - 2 22 110 107 87 65 42
W. & D. 94 - 0 0 1 5 13 22 53

North I

S 461 226 90 48 40 22 15 11 9
M 451 - 2 25 114 118 96 65 31
W. & D. 88 - 0 0 2 6 15 23 42

North II

S 484 234 82 45 43 26 21 17 16
M 426 - 2 23 109 108 87 63 34
W. & D. 90 - 0 0 2 5 14 23 46

North III

S 440 193 82 47 44 27 20 15 12
M 467 - 2 24 118 122 98 69 34
W. & D. 93 - 0 0 2 6 14 25 46

North IV

S 454 187 80 49 51 31 23 18 15
M 447 - 2 20 111 116 97 68 33
W. & D. 99 - 0 0 2 6 16 27 48

Midland I

S 456 210 84 48 43 25 18 14 14
M 456 - 2 25 121 117 92 64 35
W. & D. 88 - 0 0 1 5 13 23 46

Midland II

S 450 217 81 45 40 24 18 13 12
M 467 - 2 25 122 120 94 67 37
W. & D. 83 - 0 0 1 5 12 21 44

East

S 464 232 76 41 39 24 19 16 17
M 448 - 2 23 110 108 90 69 46
W. & D. 88 - 0 0 1 4 12 20 51

South West

S 460 205 72 40 42 28 25 22 26
M 439 - 2 20 107 108 90 67 45
W. & D. 101 - 0 0 1 5 13 23 59

Wales I

S 456 229 86 45 41 22 15 10 8
M 456 - 3 26 115 119 97 64 32
W. & D. 88 - 0 0 2 6 14 23 43

Wales II

S 503 234 73 44 50 32 25 22 23
M 398 - 2 17 93 103 82 63 38
W. & D. 99 - 0 0 2 5 13 24 55
Density Aggregates of England and Wales, 1939 (outside Greater London)-                    

All County Boroughs

S 450 187 85 50 48 28 21 16 15
M 450 - 2 23 113 116 96 66 34
W. & D. 100 - 0 0 2 6 16 27 49

All Municipal Boroughs and Urban Districts

S 460 212 78 44 43 27 21 17 18
M 449 - 2 23 115 114 92 66 37
W. & D. 91 - 0 0 1 5 13 23 49

All Rural Districts

S 475 243 71 39 40 26 21 17 18
M 442 - 2 22 112 110 88 66 42
W. & D. 83 - 0 0 1 4 11 19 48

Scotland, 1939

S 531 228 87 53 60 35 26 21 21
M 382 - 2 20 97 100 79 55 29
W. & D. 87 - 0 0 2 6 13 22 44
Regions of Scotland, 1939-                    

Northern

S 553 245 78 44 58 38 30 27 33
M 355 - 2 16 87 92 70 53 35
W. & D. 92 - 0 0 1 5 12 21 53

East Central

S 515 211 88 53 59 36 26 21 21
M 395 - 2 21 101 101 82 57 31
W. & D. 90 - 0 0 2 6 14 23 45

West Central

S 528 230 92 58 61 34 23 16 14
M 389 - 3 22 101 103 82 53 25
W. & D. 83 - 0 0 2 6 14 22 39

Southern

S 545 248 74 42 53 36 32 29 31
M 369 - 2 16 92 96 74 56 33
W. & D. 86 - - 0 1 5 12 20 48
Density Aggregates of Scotland, 1939-                    

Large Burghs

S 519 204 94 58 64 37 26 19 17
M 390 - 3 22 100 101 82 55 27
W. & D. 91 - 0 0 2 7 16 24 42

Small Burghs

S 534 237 80 46 56 35 28 24 28
M 374 - 2 19 96 96 75 54 32
W. & D. 92 - 0 0 1 5 13 22 51

Landward

S 550 266 81 47 54 33 25 21 23
M 373 - 2 18 94 96 76 55 32
W. & D. 77 - 0 0 1 5 10 18 43

Isle of Man, 1939

S 496 182 69 47 59 43 35 30 31
M 390 - 1 12 88 101 83 64 41
W. & D. 114 - - 0 1 6 15 27 65

TABLE O. —PROPORTION OF FEMALES MARRIED PER 1,000 FEMALES IN EACH AGE GROUP, 1939.

All Ages over 14 ¾ Age.
14 ¾ - 19 ¾ 19 ¾ - 24 ¾ 24 ¾ - 34 ¾ 34 ¾ - 44 ¾ 44 ¾ - 54 ¾ 54 ¾ - 64 ¾ Over 64 ¾
Great Britain, 1939 556 26 322 694 766 718 615 355
Great Britain, 1931 526 16 237 640 747 717 618 341
Great Britain, 1921 511 15 249 615 739 717 598 325
England and Wales, 1939 563 26 328 703 773 724 620 360
                 
Regions of England and Wales, 1939-  

Greater London

546 25 302 661 745 710 608 345

Remainder of South East

554 29 344 709 761 699 600 352

North I

582 26 343 731 806 761 653 377

North II

556 27 334 712 776 717 610 355

North III

580 26 342 722 790 741 637 368

North IV

550 21 294 681 758 710 601 345

Midland I

578 26 345 731 796 744 639 372

Midland II

596 26 356 744 804 757 665 399

East

583 31 359 733 793 746 66o 400

South West

553 28 335 711 766 705 602 348

Wales I

592 33 36o 729 8o8 772 663 385

Wales II

520 22 276 644 735 683 578 330
                 
Density Aggregates of England and Wales, 1939 (outside Greater London)-  

All County Boroughs

554 25 317 696 771 721 610 347

All Municipal Boroughs and Urban Districts

570 27 343 722 783 728 624 359

All Rural Districts

583 28 352 728 786 735 645 391
Scotland, 1939 495 26 275 614 707 667 563 311
                 
Regions of Scotland, 1939-  

Northern

471 25 27o 595 68o 627 531 291

East Central

501 26 279 623 709 671 567 316

West Central

504 27 274 615 719 688 582 325

Southern

490 25 279 629 702 628 533 293
                 
Density Aggregates of Scotland, 1939-  

Large Burghs

490 27 271 602 702 666 558 307

Small Burghs

491 24 286 629 703 646 541 293

Landward

509 26 278 627 720 681 586 329
Isle of Man, 1939 477 20 209 594 671 623 525 301

The proportions married in successive age groups increase yin I1 advancing air up to the 35-45 group, the new marriages during the (-tidier adult years Leila: in excess of those terminated by the death of either partner. After 45 the terminations gain the ascendancy with a consequent diminution in the married section which continues thereafter throughout the remainder of life. It will be observed t hat the married frequency is at a maximum in the 35-45 groups with continuously descending proportions on either side for every one of the areas identified in Table O.

The most notable contrast exhibited in Table O is that disclosed by Hat frequencies in England and Wales as compared with those in Scotland or in the Isle of Man. Whereas in England and Wales 5G3 per thousand of the women over 142 years of age are married, in Scotland the proportion is as low as 495 per thousand. And as between the several subdivisions of the two countries, the highest of the Si (AEA proportions (504 per thousand in the West Central region) is well below the lowest in England and Wales, viz. 520 per thousand in North and Central Wales (W2). Here again the differences are due to a combination of the same two factors, namely, the higher average age of the population and the higher incidence of new marriages in England and Wales, An indication of the latter is given by the proportions married in the earlier age groups, the rent comparable numbers in the 19¾ -24¾ group being 328 per 1,000 for England and Wales against 275 for Scotland and 703 against 614 in the succeeding group 244. Amongst the regions of England and Wales the lowest place is, as already stated, assigned to North and Central Wales (W2). Here, tire age percentages are, almost without exception, lower than those recorded for any other region in England and Wales. The highest age rates are curiously enough, reserved for South Wales (WE, although the overall proportion is somewhat higher in the East Midlands (M2). Northumberland and Durham (NI) ranks high, as does also the West Riding of Yorkshire (W3) and the Eastern region. London and its neighbouring counties rank low in company with Lancashire (N4) and the South Western region.

In Scotland the proportions married are generally higher in the two regions of the central belt at the expense of the regions on either side, of which the lowest position in the whole of the table is that assigned to the Northern region.

Amongst the density aggregates, the age proportions consistently increase with decreasing density in England and Wales, the overall figures for Greater London, other County Boroughs, other smaller towns and Rural Districts being 546, 554, 570 and 583 respectively. In Scotland there is less regularity in the progressions of the proportions, the landward areas being lower than those of Small Burghs at the younger ages and those of the Small Burghs lower than the corresponding figures for Large Burghs at the more advanced ages of the scale.


EXPLANATORY NOTES

1. The 1939 statistics published in this volume in respect of Great Britain and the Isle of Man represent the population enumerated as at midnight 29th/30th September, 1939. In respect of Northern Ireland the figures may be regarded as corresponding approximately to the same date (see Introduction).

In all areas the 1939 populations exclude persons serving in and not on leave from His Majesty's Naval, Military or Air Forces and also persons on ships in port Or in tidal waters.

2. In Table 1 areas scheduled by the Ministry of Health or Department of Health for Scotland as evacuation areas and neutral areas are distinguished respectively by a * and † placed against the name of the area. Reception areas form the remainder and are unmarked.

3. Comparative figures in respect of 1931 and 1938 in Table I relate to the several areas as constituted in September 1939.

4. The acreage quoted in Table I includes land and inland water in England and Wales but iii Scotland and Northern Ireland excludes the larger rivers and lakes.

5. The spelling of place names follows generally that adopted by the Ordnance Survey Department.

6. The abbreviations A.C., C.B., Met. B., M.B., U.D., R.D., and CT., denote respectively Administrative County, County Borough, Metropolitan Borough, Municipal Borough, Urban District, Rural District and Civil Parish.

7. The figures for Administrative Counties exclude those of Associated County Boroughs unless otherwise marked but include those of other large towns.

8. The constitutions of the Geographical Regions adopted throughout the volume are as follows: —

England and Wales

Greater London. North I. Midland II. Wales I.
The area coincident with the City Of London and Metropolitan Police Districts ñ approximately 15 miles radius from Charing Cross Durham. Derbyshire. Brecknockshire.
  Northumberland. Leicestershire. Carmarthenshire.
South East.   Northamptonshire. Glamorganshire.
Bedfordshire North II. Nottinghamshire. Monmouthshire.
Berkshire. Cumberland. Peterborough, Soke of.  
Buckinghamshire. Westmorland.   Wales II.
Essex. Yorkshire, East Riding. East. Anglesey.
Hertfordshire. Yorkshire, North Riding. Cambridgeshire. Caernarvonshire.
Kent.   Ely, Isle of. Cardiganshire.
London. North III. Huntingdonshire. Denbighshire.
Middlesex. Yorkshire, West Riding. Lincolnshireó Flintshire.
Oxfordshire. York C.B.

Parts of Holland.

Merionethshire.
Southampton.  

Parts of Kesteven.

Montgomeryshire.
Surrey. North IV.

Parts of Lindsey.

Pembrokeshire.
Sussex, East. Cheshire. Norfolk. Radnorshire.
Sussex, West. Lancashire. Rutlandshire.  
Wight, Isle of.   Suffolk, East.
  Midland I. Suffolk, West.
Gloucestershire.  
Herefordshire. South West.
Shropshire. Cornwall.
Staffordshire. Devonshire.
Warwickshire. Dorsetshire.
Worcestershire. Somersetshire.
  Wiltshire.

Scotland

Northern East Central West Central Southern
Counties of City of Counties of Counties of

Aberdeen.

Dundee

Ayr.

Berwick.

Angus (excluding City of Dundee).

Counties of

Dunbarton.

Dumfries.

Argyll.

Clackmannan

Lanark.

Kirkcudbright.

Banff.

Fife.

Renfrew.

Peebles.

Bute.

Lothian, East.

 

Roxburgh.

Caithness.

West.

Selkirk.

Inverness.

Midlothian.

Wigtown.

Kincardine.

Stirling.

 

Kinross.

 

Moray.

Nairn.

Orkney.

Perth.

Ross and Cromarty.

Sutherland.

Zetland.


1 National Register figures not available. The number of males and females enumerated at the 1937 census of Northern Ireland were 623,154 and 656,591, respectively.

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