houses, and 5,472 inhabitants. If the writer who made that calculation
was correct, the next 80 years must have been "days of progress" indeed,
for in 1700 the town is said to have included 28 streets, about 100
courts and alleys, 2,504 houses, one church, one chapel, and two
meeting-houses, with 15,032 inhabitants. In 1731 there were 55 streets,
about 150 courts and alleys, 3,719 houses, two churches, one chapel,
four Dissenting meeting-houses, and 23,286 inhabitants. The remaining
figures, being taken from census returns and other reliable authorities,
are more satisfactory.

Year. Inhabitants. Houses.
1741 24,660 4,114
1773 30,804 7,369
1778 48,252 8,042
1781 50,295 8,382
1791 73,653 12,681
1801 78,760 16,659
1811 85,755 19,096
1821 106,721 21,345
1831 142,251 29,397
1841 182,922 36,238
1851 232,841 48,894
1861 296,076 62,708
1871 343,787 77,409
1881 400,774 84,263

The inhabitants are thus divided as to sexes:

Year. Males. Females. Totals.
1861 143,996 152,080 296,076
1871 167,636 176,151 343,787
1881 194,540 206,234 400,774

The increase during the ten years in the several parts of the borough
shows:

Part of
Birmingham Edgbaston Aston in
parish. parish. borough. Totals.

1881 246,352 22,778 131,644 400,774
1871 231,015 17,442 95,330 343,787
------- ------ ------- -------
Increase 15,337 5,336 36,314 56,987

These figures, however, are not satisfactorily correct, as they simply
give the totals for the borough, leaving out many persons who, though
residing outside the boundaries are to all intents and purposes
Birmingham people; and voluminous as census papers usually are, it is
difficult from those of 1871 to arrive at the proper number, the
districts not being subdivided sufficiently. Thus, in the following
table Handsworth includes Soho and Perry Barr, Harborne parish includes
Smethwick, Balsall Heath is simply the Local included district, while
King's Norton Board is Moseley, Selly Oak, &c.

Places. Inhabitants.
Aston Parish 139,998
Aston Manor 33,948
Balsall