Annual counts of deaths by age group for Registration Districts in England and Wales

Table ID:

MORT_AGE_EW_REG_ANN     (1251681)

Contents:

Annual counts of deaths by age group for Registration Districts in England and Wales

Approx. number of rows:

57,998

Table type:

Raw Data

Documentation Author:

Humphrey Southall

Geography:

Reporting units are identified by:
   Registration County
   Registration District
   Registration Division
   Registration District Number
   Suffix to Registration District Number

Chronology:

The data cover the period 1840 to 1910.
Dates and times are identified by:
   Year

Sources:

1. These data were transcribed from the Annual Reports of the Registrar General for England and Wales.
2. The data for 1881 were transcribed from the table titled "Deaths at different Ages registered in the Year 1881", on pages 116-136 of the Registrar General's Annual Report for 1881. The table had this name from 1851 (pages 98-119) through to 1910 (pages 278-286) with only the year changing. Similarly the table was called, "1840 - Deaths registered at different Ages in the Year" where it appears on pages 208-235 of the 1840 report and it continues with this name until 1850 (pages 110-149).
3. Data for 1861 and 1881 were digitised by Humphrey Southall in May 2020. The other years included were all transcribed by Harold Price in Autumn 2021.
4. We have digitised a series of three years around each census year to allow for an average to be constructed. In 1911 the geography used to record the data changed so the final series consists of the years 1908, 1909 and 1910. Additionally we have computerised the whole period from 1863 through to 1879.
   This means the current dataset in this table consists of the following years: 1840-42, 1850-52, 1860-1882, 1890-92, 1900-02, 1908-1910.

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Notes:

1. Tabulations of deaths by age for all Registration Districts seem to appear regularly in the RG's Annual Reports. This table is designed to hold a very complete transcription which can be expanded by adding more years. While the years included in the transcription are selective, every year transcribed does contains all the information available for England and Wales.
2. As recorded by the row_type column, this table begins, for each year, with national totals, then Divisions, then Counties and finally Registration Districts. The counties include the parts of Surrey, Kent and Middlesex within London, as separate county-level totals, but as we treat London as a single Registration County, the three "counties" within the London Division are not matched to the AUO, and county-level totals for London have been added to the table by summing the data for these three areas.
3. In 1881 and 1882, the table includes separate rows for the individual Poor Law Unions where there were sub-divisions of several Registration Districts. These rows appear in the report as a single district name spanning multiple rows, followed by a bracket, then union names on the individual rows. These separate rows are all included in our transcription, and the names are represented in the table as, for example, "DORCHESTER: DORCHESTER" and "DORCHESTER: CERNE". These rows have row_type = 'Dist:PLU', and in matching the data to the AUO, the name before the colon was matched to a unit with RegD status, with the result held in reg_dist_unit. THIS MEANS THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE ROWS IN THE SAME YEAR FOR SOME REGISTRATION DISTRICTS, AND DATA MUST BE EXTRACTED BY AGGREGATION.
4. For the above 'Dist:PLU' rows, we separately tried to match the name after the colon with a unit in the AUO with a status that was NOT RegD, and which had a different ID number from that held as reg_dist_unit for the same row. In most cases this was successful and the result is held in g_unit. The following unions are currently un-matched for 1881-2: Hawarden PLU, within Chester RegD, Cheshire; Atcham and Shrewsbury PLUs, within Atcham RegD, Shropshire; and Alderbury and Salisbury PLUs, within Alderbury RegD, Wiltshire.
5. From 1871 until 1880 the table includes separate rows for just two sets of individual Poor Law Unions, in Shropshire Atcham and Shrewsbury and in Wiltshire Alderbury and Salisbury.
6. After 1880 the figures for districts are given for total population rather than separately giving figures for males and females as happened until this point. After 1882 the information on districts was no longer included at all. Regions and counties differentiate between the sexes for the entire period.
7. The column headings are not consistent throughout the period. Only Total deaths, individual whole years under five, and age bands 5-9 and 10-14 appear in all years. The other columns vary between five and ten year age bands in different years and which age defines the oldest grouping. Notes on the relevant years are given against individual columns.
8. Prior to 1860 a column for those of unknown age who died is included. These figures are included in the total deaths figures for 1840-51, but not for 1852.
9. In the years 1840-42 figures for many of the districts are given as combined figures, a note is given indicating which rows the figures are combined for. This reflects the layout of the original report. This means multiple rows have no data contained within them. They remain in the table so the unit IDs can be matched. Be aware of this when doing calculations over time. An additional column 'combined_flag' has been added to indicate the row gives a combined figure for these years. All other years have data in every row.
10. There are several instances where the unit listed in the report does not match the name or area changes in the gazetteer. These units have been manually matched:
    • Shipston on Stour Registration District is in Warwickshire in the AUO, but is listed in Worcestershire prior to 1842.
    • Dudley Registration District is in Staffordshire in the AUO, but is listed in Worcestershire prior to 1843.
    • Tadcaster Registration District is in the West Riding in the AUO, but is listed in the East Riding prior to 1843.
    • Todmorden Registration District is in the West Riding in the AUO, but is listed in Lancashire prior to 1843.
    • Kington PLU officially became a Registration District in Herefordshire is 1870, but is listed in Radnorshire until end of 1870.
    • Montgomery in Montgomeryshire officially changed it's name in 1870, but is listed under its new name of Forden in 1869.
    • Great Boughton (Chester) in Cheshire officially changed it's name to Chester in 1870, but is listed under its old name in 1873.
11. The following units remain unmatched in specific years:
    • Ecclesfield (West Riding) no Registration District/PLU of this name in the AUO, but listed in 1840-2. Needs further investigation.
    • Worsley (Lancashire) no Registration District/PLU of this name in the AUO, but listed in 1840-2. Needs further investigation.
    • Westminster St James (London) abolished in 1868, but listed in 1869.
    • Presteigne (Radnorshire) abolished in 1877, but listed in 1878.
    • Alderbury PLU and Salisbury PLU (Wiltshire) abolished in 1869, but listed separately until 1882.
    • Atcham PLU and Shrewsbury PLU (Shropshire) abolished in 1870, but listed separately until 1882.

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Checking:

1. For each individual row, the sum of deaths in each age band was matched to the overall total number of deaths.
2. For each individual row, the sum of deaths in each one-year band under age 5 was matched to the reported number of deaths aged 0-4 for all years except in 1840.
3. For each individual row, the sum of deaths broken down into months matches the reported number of deaths aged under 1 (d_0). This applies for relevant years: 1841-50 and 1901-10.
4. Summed figures for the parts of three counties considered to be London (Middlesex, Surrey and Kent) were checked against the given total for the London Division. Summed figures for the London districts were also checked against the given total for the London Division.
5. For each hierarchy, the sum of the number of deaths in each column for the lower-level areas matches the reported number of deaths in the same column for the higher level. This means that the national totals have been checked against the sum of the divisions, the divisions against the sum for the counties each contains, and the counties against the sum for the district each contains.
6. For the national totals, the divisions and the counties, the reported total number of deaths and deaths aged 0-4, covering both genders, was matched to the sum of the same columns for males and for females. Given the other consistency checks, repeating this check by gender for all columns was judged unnecessary.
7. In most cases, these checks enabled transcription errors to be identified, but in the following cases our transcription appeared correct so the inconsistency was in the original report. A change was made from the printed value to that implied by both row and column check sums:
   • 1860:
   • Cardiff, Glamorganshire: female age 85_94 given as a blank space, corrected to 39.
   • 1865:
   • Bridge, Kent: female age 0_4 printed as 2, corrected to 12.
   • 1866:
   • Stamford, Lincolnshire: female age 0_3 printed as 4, corrected to 1.
   • 1881:
     • Alderbury: Alderbury, Wiltshire: age 25-34 printed as 6, corrected to 20.
     • Wellington, Shropshire: age 55-64 printed as 24, corrected to 34.
     • Boston, Lincolnshire: age 85 and up printed as 20, corrected to 30.
     • Derby, Derbyshire: deaths under 1 printed as 298, corrected to 398.
     • Ashborne, Derbyshire: deaths under 1 printed as 57, corrected to 47.
     • Skipton, West Riding: age 25-34 printed as 23, corrected to 25.
8. Sometimes, while the checks enabled transcription errors to identify inconsistency in the original report, there is insufficient information to correct it.
   (i) In 1860 there were blank rows for Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorganshire for females aged 95 upwards. There were 7 people missing, but it is unclear to which district they should belong.
   (ii) The following errors occurred where the sum of columns d_0 to d_4 did not equal the d_0_4 column figure.
   In 1864 nine rows for females in Wiltshire, as follows:
   
   • MARLBOROUGH reported 37, summed 33, difference +4
   • DEVIZES reported 34, summed 38, difference -4
   • MELKSHAM reported 49, summed 48, difference +1
   • BRADFORD-ON-AVON reported 33, summed 31, difference +2
   • PEWSEY reported 38, summed 40, difference -2
   • AMESBURY reported 26, summed 23, difference +3
   • ALDERBURY reported 32, summed 36, difference -4
   • SALISBURY reported 28, summed 27, difference +1
   • WESTBURY reported 44, summed 45, difference -1.
   In 1870 two rows for males in Berkshire as follows:
   
   • ABINGDON reported 96, summed 106, difference +10
   • WALLINGFORD reported 67, summed 57, difference -10
   (iii) The following errors occurred where the sum of rows for a column did not equal the county total given.
   • In 1841 LANCASHIRE column for females tot_death reported 21,940, summed rows 21,913, difference +27.
   • In 1842 DERBYSHIRE column for males d_10_14 reported 65, summed rows 75, difference -10.
   • In 1866 NORTH WALES column for males d_95_up reported 10, summed rows 9, difference +1.
   • In 1869 LANCASHIRE column for males d_20_24 reported 1,164, summed rows 1,162, difference +2.
   With the exception of these identified inconsistencies, these data are internally consistent.

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Columns within table:

Column	Type	Contents
rec_num	Integer number.	Sequence number added on loading, keeping rows in original order.
year	Integer number.	Year to which data relate.
row_type	Text string (max.len.=12).	Type of area covered by the current row. The available values are: Nation: National total for England and Wales. The unit ID is held only in g_unit. Division: Totals for a Registration Division. The unit ID is held in both reg_div_unit and g_unit. County: Totals for a Registration County. The unit ID is held in both reg_cnty_unit and g_unit. LonPart: Totals for those Districts within the London Division within each of the three ancient counties, i.e. Middlesex, Surrey and Kent. These areas are not currently defined in the AUO so these rows have no ID numbers. District: Registration District not divided up into constituent Poor Law Unions, The unit ID is held in both reg_dist_unit and g_unit. Dist:PLU: Poor Law Union which was a sub-division of a Registration District. The district ID is held in reg_dist_unit while g_unit holds the ID of the Poor Law area, if known.
reg_div	Text string (max.len.=28).	Name of Registration Division. This column holds "ENGLAND AND WALES" for rows giving national totals.
reg_cnty_num	Integer number.	Number identifying each Registration County, and placing it in order.
reg_cnty	Text string (max.len.=36).	Name of Registration County. Null if data are for a Division or a national total.
reg_num	Integer number.	Number identifying each RD, and placing it in order.
reg_sfx	Text string (max.len.=6).	Suffix to identifying number; handles numbers such as '431A' but generally null.
reg_dist	Text string (max.len.=50).	Name of Registration District to which data relate. Null if data are for a County, Division or a national total.
sex	Text string (max.len.=5).	Sex: M=male, F=female, T=total. In 1881 and 1882, separate data for males and females is given for counties, Divisions and the national totals, but not for Districts.
tot_birth	Integer number.	Total number of births (listed in 1850 to 1880).
tot_death	Integer number.	Total number of deaths for all ages (all years).
d_0_1month	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged under 1 month (listed only in 1840-2).
d_0_3months	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 0 months and under 3 months (listed only in 1850 and 1901-1910).
d_1_2months	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 1 month and under 2 months (listed only in 1840-2).
d_2_3months	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 2 months and under 3 months (listed only in 1840-2).
d_3_6months	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 3 months and under 6 months (listed only in 1840-50 and 1901-1910).
d_6_12months	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 6 months and under 12 months (listed only in 1850 and 1901-1910).
d_6_9months	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 6 months and under 9 months (listed only in 1840-2).
d_9_12months	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 9 months and under 12 months (listed only in 1840-2).
d_0	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged under 1 (listed 1841-1910). Computed and added as a derived value for 1840.
d_1	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 1 and under 2 (all years).
d_2	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 2 and under 3 (all years).
d_3	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 3 and under 4 (all years).
d_4	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 4 and under 5 (all years).
d_0_4	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 0 to 4 (listed 1841-1910). Computed and added as a derived value for 1840.
d_5_9	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 5 to 9 (all years).
d_10_14	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 10 to 14 (all years).
d_15_24	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 15 and under 24 (listed only in 1851-2).
d_15_19	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 15 to 19 (listed in 1840-50 and 1860-1910).
d_20_24	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 20 to 24 (listed in 1840-50 and 1860-1910).
d_25_34	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 25 to 34 (listed 1851 onwards).
d_25_29	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 25 and under 29 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_30_34	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 30 and under 34 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_35_44	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 35 to 44 (listed 1851 onwards).
d_35_39	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 35 and under 39 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_40_44	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 40 and under 44 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_45_54	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 45 to 54 (listed 1851 onwards).
d_45_49	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 45 and under 49 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_50_54	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 50 and under 54 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_55_64	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 55 to 64 (listed 1851 onwards).
d_55_59	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 55 and under 59 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_60_64	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 60 and under 64 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_65_74	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 65 to 74 (listed 1851 onwards).
d_65_69	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 65 and under 69 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_70_74	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 70 and under 74 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_75_up	Integer number.	Derived value. Deaths of persons aged 75 and upwards. This is computed as the sum of all age bands above 75.
d_75_84	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 75 to 84 (listed 1851 onwards).
d_75_79	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 75 and under 79 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_80_84	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 80 and under 84 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_85_up	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 85 and upwards (listed from 1881 onwards. Computed and added as a derived value for 1840-80).
d_85_94	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 85 to 94 (listed 1851-1880).
d_85_89	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 85 and under 89 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_90_94	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 90 and under 94 (listed only in 1840-50).
d_95_up	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 95 and upwards (listed 1851-1880). Computed and added as a derived value for 1840-42.
d_95_99	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 95 and under 99 (listed only in 1840-2).
d_100_104	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 100 and under 104 (listed only in 1840-2).
d_105_110	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 105 and under 110 (listed only in 1840-2).
d_110	Integer number.	Deaths of persons aged 110 (listed only in 1840 for females in Morpeth in Northumberland).
d_unknown	Integer number.	Deaths of persons where the age is unknown (listed only in 1840-52).
combined_flag	Text string (max.len.=14).	This column contains a 'Y' to indicate where districts are given as a combined figure for 1840-2.
notes	Long text.	Comments taken from original report. These are all either references to recent splits/mergers, or explanations of the Districts listed as multiple Poor Law Unions.
nation_unit	Integer number.	ID of either England or Wales, as appropriate and derived from the county the District was in.
reg_div_unit	Integer number.	ID number of the Registration Division, as defined in the AUO.
reg_cnty_unit	Integer number.	ID number of the Registration County, as defined in the AUO.
reg_dist_unit	Integer number.	ID number of the Registration District, as defined in the AUO.
g_unit	Integer number.	ID number, as defined in the AUO, of the area covered by the current row. See documentation for the row_type column for what exactly will be held here.