The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-08 00:00:00

BIRTHS IN THE WEEK.

Males
Females..

Total ..

1,678

REPORT OF THE RBGISTRAR-GENERAL

FOR 1853.

The 16th Annual Report of the Registrar-General of
Births,Deaths,and Marriages in England during the year
1853 was presented to the Home Secretary on Mid•
summer-day, and yesterday issued to the public. The
population (in 1851) being 17,927,609, it appears that
164,520 marriages were solemnised or contracted in
1853-viz., 138,042 according to the rites of the Esta-
blished Church, 1,375 in Romish chapels, 10,146 in other
dissenting chapels, 7,598 in the Superintendent-Regis-
trar'. office. 68 hetweee o,ia.kers, arvl 28R bet Ween Jews.
The number of marriages in the four quarters of the year
was, respectively, 35,149, 40,440, 39,899, and 49,026 ;
showing curiously enough that in the summer quarter
-viz., from July to September-the number of mar-
riages was less than in the autuns-al and winter quarter,
from Oct. berto December, by nearly 10,000. Of the
164,520 marriages, 135,023 were contracted between
bachelors and spinsters, 7,139 between bachelors and
widows, 14,739 between widowers and spinsters, and
7,619 between widowers and widows. The gross total
number of widowers and widows married were, respec-
tively, 22,358 and 14,758, and the number of males and
females, not of full age, respectively, 9,131 and 29,359-.
49,983 men and 72,294 women signed the register by
making their marks, there being 37,345 cases in which
both signed, and 47,497 in which one signed. The ages
at whic marriage was contracted in the case of 92,326
couples were as follows :-30 girls at 15 years ; 6 boys
and 176 girls at 16 ; 33 boys and 922 girls at 17 ;
371 boys and 3,297 girls at 18 ' • 1,754 boys and 6,515
girls at 19 ; 43,151 youths and 45,937 maidens at 20 ;
24,413 men and 18,980 women at 25 ; 9,801 men and
7,415 women at 30 ; 4,124 men and 3,792 women at 35;
3,107 men and 2,523 women at 40 ; 1,864 men and
1,345 women at 45; 1,396 men and 854 women at 50 ; 737
men and 293 women at 55 ; 524 men and 176 women
at 60 ; 211 men and 50 women at 65 ; 83 men and 16
women at 70 ; 37 men and 3 women at 75; and 14 men
and 2 women at 80 years of age. It will be seen that
the chances of the ladies increase up to the age of 20, at
which point they culminate, and afterwards decrease in a
most alarmingly rapid ratio-viz., from 45,937 to 18,980
between 20 and 25 years of age ; from 18,980 to 7,415
in the succeeding lnstrum. Btween 30 and 35 the mar-
riages of women fall off one-half ; but, as will be seen,
a chance remains to them even on the verge of the grave.
The widowers and widows begin to marry again very
early, inasmuch as in 1853, 6 widows re-married between
the ages of 17 and 20 ; 329 widows and 408 widowers at
20.; 1,489 and 1,267 respectively at 25; and 2,156 and
1,596 respectively, at 30. Of the 16 octogenarians who
married at 80, 14 were widowers and 2 widows. 178
spinsters between 15 and 20 years of age were selected
by widowers ; and of widows married to bachelors, 6
were between 17 and 20 years of age.
The number of births in 1853 amounted to 612,391,
including 313,756 males and 298,635 females. 161,729
were registered in the first quarter, 158,697 in the second,
147,602 in the third, and 144,363 in the fourth qaarter
of the year. The total number of deaths was 421,104,
including 214,727 males and 206.377 females. Of these
deaths 118,119 were registered in the first quarter,
107,654 in the second, 92,201 in the third, and 103,130
in the fourth quarter of the year.