Housing Conditions

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G. —HOUSING CONDITIONS.

FOR the purposes of the Scottish census a house is defined as a "dwelling (1) with a distinct outside entrance from a street, court, lane, road, etc.; or (2) with a door opening directly into a common stair or passage; but if any such dwelling is subdivided and occupied by different families, it must be reckoned as only one house." Thus defined, the total number of houses enumerated in Scotland is 1,107,147, of which 1,013,369, or 91.5 per cent., are inhabited; 89,060, or 8.1 per cent., uninhabited; and 4,718, or 0.4 per cent., in course of erection. Compared with the corresponding figures of 1901, inhabited houses are 86,455, or 9.3 per cent., more; and uninhabited houses are 29,640, or 49.9 per cent., more; but houses in course of erection are 4,344, or 47.9 per cent., fewer. (Table VI.)

Comparison can also be made between these figures and those of the censuses of 1881 and 1891, but not with those of earlier censuses, because in the censuses prior to that of 1881 houses were counted on a different basis and not according to the definition of a house now in use. Inhabited houses are 195,801, or 23.9 per cent., more than in 1891, and 274,364, or 37.1 per cent., more than in 1881. Uninhabited houses are now 37,346, or 72.2 per cent., more than in 1891, and 29,363, or 49.2 per cent., more than in 1881. Houses in course of erection are now 660, or 12.3 per cent., fewer than in 1891, and 272, or 5.5 per cent., fewer than in 1881.

Inhabited Houses. —The 1,013,369 inhabited houses are found to have 3,306,625 windowed rooms, exclusive of rooms used solely as sculleries or pantries or bathrooms or the like, a number which is 284,027, or 9.4 per cent., more than in 1901 ; 657,439, or 24.8 per cent., more than in 1891; 963,476, or 411 per cent., more than in 1881; 1,314,426, or 66.0 per cent., more than in 1871; and 1,598,220, or 93.6 per cent., more than in 1861. In 1881 the average number of rooms per inhabited house was 3.17; in 1891 it was found to have risen to 3.24, and in 1901 to 3.26; but by this census no further rise has been found, the figure remaining at 3.26.

The average number of persons to each inhabited house in 1881, the earliest census at which a comparable figure is available, was 5.05, and since then the figure has been found to be steadily decreasing; in 1891 it was 4.92; in 1901, 4.82; and is now 4.70.

The average number of persons per windowed room in Scotland in 1861 was l.79, and since then has steadily decreased; in 1871 it was 1.69; in 1881, 1.59; in 1891, 1.52; in 1901, 1.48; and is now found to be 1.44.

Of the inhabited houses in Scotland, 6 are windowless; 129,731, or 12.8 per cent., are one-roomed ; 409,355, or 40.4 per cent., two-roomed; 205,319, or 20.3 per cent., three-roomed; 94,862, or 9.3 per cent., four-roomed; 54,626, or 5.4 per cent., five-roomed; 36,406, or 3.6 per cent., six-roomed; and 83,064, or 8.2 per cent., of more than sis rooms. Compared with the figures of 1901, houses without windowed rooms are 35 fewer; and one-roomed houses are 40,067, or 23.6 per cent., fewer; but houses of two rooms are 24,409, or 6.3 per cent.,, more ; of three rooms, 37,190, or 15.3 per cent., more; of four rooms, 13,288, or 16.3 per cent., more; of five rooms, 10,966, or 25.1 per cent., more; of six rooms, 6,263, or 20.8 per cent., more; and of more than six rooms, 6,415, or 8.4 per cent., more. These comparisons are not, however, strictly accurate, for in the tabulation of the results of the census of 1901, as also of earlier censuses, the figures used were not the numbers of rooms in the houses themselves, but the numbers of rooms occupied by separate families, while at this census the number of rooms in the house as defined above was the basis of tabulation. The change of procedure, though no doubt inconvenient in respect that it prevents accurate comparison, has been considered necessary to obviate the anomalous treatment of lodgers and boarders by the older method, whereby a lodger was dealt with as a separate "family" while a boarder was not, and lodgers' holdings were counted as separate houses, while those of boarders were not, a difference of treatment between the two classes which was maintained on the slender distinction that one, the lodger, takes his meals in his own room, while the other, the boarder, takes his along with the rest of the household. This change no doubt largely accounts for the observed differences—many rooms which by the older procedure would have been reckoned as separate houses, or, rather, separate family holdings, being now included with those of entire houses; and one undoubted result is a return of fewer one-roomed houses, and of an increased number of houses of more than one room. (Tables XXXIX. and XLVI.)

Distribution of Population according to Size of House. —Of the population of Scotland, 12 persons live in houses without windowed rooms; 399,876, or 8.4 per cent., in one-roomed houses; 1,881,529, or 39.5 per cent., in two-roomed houses; 1,006,135, or 21.1 per cent., in three-roomed houses; 456,207, or 9.6 per cent., in four-roomed houses; 257,650, or 5.4 per cent., in five-roomed houses; and 175,343, or 3.7 per cent., in six-roomed houses; while the remaining 584,152, or 12.3 per cent., live in houses of more than six rooms, in institutions, on board ship, or are houseless. Accurate comparison between these figures and those of the earlier censuses is not possible owing to the change, already referred to, in the definition of a "house"; but, even allowing for this source of error, observed changes are so great as to be indicative of a genuine improvement in the housing conditions of the people. The figures of the censuses of 1861 onwards are collected in Table XLVII., and it may there be seen that the numbers of persons living in houses without windowed rooms and in houses of one room have markedly and steadily decreased, while those living in houses of two rooms and more have markedly and steadily increased. In the report on the census of 1861, persons enumerated in houses without windowed rooms numbered 25,959, and they now number only 12. In that report, 802,968 persons were stated to be living in one-roomed houses, and these now number 403,092, or 50.2 per cent., less. Persons enumerated ID two- and three-roomed houses now outnumber those enumerated in 1861 by 726,974, or 63.0 per cent., and 617,945, or 159.2 per cent., respectively; and those living in four- and five-roomed houses now outnumber those enumerated in 1861 by 258,955, or 131.3 per cent., and 145,451, or 129.6 per cent., respectively. In 1861, the percentage of the total population enumerated in one-roomed houses was 26.2, a rate that each succeeding census has shown to be diminishing; in 1871, it fell to 237; in 1881, to 18.0; in 1891, to 14.3; in 1901, to 11.0; and by this census to 8.7. In 1861, the percentage of the population living in houses of two rooms or less was 64.8; in 1871, it was 62.2; in 1881, 57.5; in 1891, 53.7; in 1901, 50.5; and it is now found to be 47.9. The percentage enumerated in houses of three rooms or more has risen from 35.2 in 1861, to 52.1 at the present time; in 1871 the percentage was 37.8; in 1881, 42.5; in 1891, 46.3; and in 1901, 49.5. It is impossible to estimate how far these changes are attributable to the alterations in the methods of counting houses, but it is probably safe to assume that the differences are so marked as to be indicative of a real change in the housing conditions, and not to be entirely due to altered methods of enumeration. (Tables XL. and XLVII.)

Distribution of Population according to Number of Persons per Room. — Of the population of Scotland, 2,683,627, or 56.4 per cent., are found to be living not more than two in a room; 3,754,913, or 78.8 per cent., not more than three in a room; and 4,363,642, or 91.7 per cent., not more than four in a room ; but 2,077,277, or 43.6 per cent., are living more than two in a room ; 1,005,991, or 21.2 per cent., more than three in a room; and 397,262, or 8.3 per cent., more than four in a room. Comparison with the figures of the earlier censuses shows that the proportion of the population living in the less crowded conditions has increased, and the proportion of those living in the more crowded conditions has decreased. Thus the percentage living not more than two in a room has increased from 43.4 in 1861 to 49.2 in 1881, to 54.3 in 1901, and now to 56.4; the percentage living not more than three in a room has increased from 66.2 in 1861 to 72.3 in 1881, to 77.1 in 1901, and now to 78.8; and the percentage living not more than four in a room has increased from 81.3 in 1861 to 86.8 in 1881, to 90.4 in 1901, and now to 91.7. The percentage of the population of Scotland living more than two in a room in 1861 was 56.6; in 1881 the rate fell to 50.8, in 1901 to 45.7, and is now 43.6. In 1861, the percentage living more than three in a room was 33.8, in 1881 it was 27.7, in 1901 it was 22.9, and is now 21.2. In 1861, the percentage living more than four in a room was 18.7; in 1881, 13.2; in 1901, 9.6; and is now 8.3. (Table XLVIII.)

Housing Conditions in the Counties and in Burghs with over 2,000 Population. — In Tables XLIII., XLIV., and XLV. there are given analyses of the principal facts regarding the housing of the population of Scotland in the counties, and in burghs with populations of 2,000 and over. These tables are drawn up on the same lines as those included in a Parliamentary Return (Cd 4,016) on the Housing Conditions of the Population of Scotland, which was published in 1908, and which dealt with the principal housing facts ascertained by the census of 1901. The present tables differ, however, from those in that Return, in that they are based on the number of rooms and persons enumerated in each "house" as defined for census purposes, while the tables dealing with the 1901 figures were based on the number of rooms occupied by separate "families," and on the number of persons in these "families." The tables of 1911 differ further from those in the 1908 Return in that, for present purposes, houseless persons, shipping population, and persons living in institutions, in houses of more than 24 rooms, or in households of more than 19 persons, are excluded, the object being to confine the study to the section of the population living under the more ordinary housing conditions. These changes no doubt detract from the value of the comparison between the tables, but to what extent it is difficult to estimate.

Table XLIII. deals with the distribution of the houses by size, Table XLIV. with the distribution of the population by the size of house occupied, and Table XLV. with the distribution of the population according as they are found to be living in more or less crowded conditions. Each of these tables gives figures relative to Scotland as a whole, to the counties, to the burghs that have populations of 2,000 or more, and to the remaining portions of the counties—i.e., to counties less any burghs within them of the population mentioned.

Of the houses of Scotland, 53.2 per cent. contain two rooms or less, and 46.8 per cent., more than two rooms. In the burghs with populations exceeding 2,000. houses of two rooms or less constitute 56.8 per cent. of the total, and those with more than two rooms, 43.2 per cent. In the remainder of Scotland, houses of two rooms or less constitute 467 per cent., and those of more than two rooms, 53.3 per cent. Thus smaller houses are relatively more numerous, and larger houses relatively less numerous, in burghs with populations of over 2,000, than in the remainder of the country.

In the burghs of more than 2,000 population, one-roomed houses vary in number from 33.2 per cent. in Kilsyth, 31.7 per cent. in Armadale, 28.5 per cent. in Wishaw, 28.2 per cent. in Lerwick, 28.2 per cent. in Galston, 27.3 per cent. in Coatbridge, 24.9 per cent. in Airdrie, 24.6 per cent. in Hamilton, and 24.1 per cent. in Johnstone, to 0.9 per cent. in Duns, 1.2 per cent. in Newport, 2.3 per cent. in Largs, 2.3 per cent. in Kirkwall, 2.4 per cent. in Carnoustie, 2.6 per cent. in Bridge of Allan, 2.6 per cent. in Turriff, and 2.8 per cent. in Lossiemouth. In these burghs, two-roomed houses vary in number from 65.2 per cent. in Lochgelly, 60.2 per cent. in Clydebank, 59.4 per cent. in Govan, 58.3 per cent. in Renfrew, 58.0 per cent. in Cowdenbeath, 56.1 per cent. in Kilrenny, and 55.3 per cent. in Port-Glasgow, to 10.2 per cent. in Newport, 10.6 per cent. in Castle-Douglas, 15.1 per cent. in Carnoustie, 15.6 per cent. in Dingwall, and 15.7 per cent. in Turriff. Houses of more than two rooms vary in number from 88.6 per cent. in Newport, 86.3 per cent., in Castle-Douglas, 82.7 per cent. in Duns, 82.5 per cent. in Carnoustie, and 81.7 per cent. in Turriff and Kirkwall, to 16.7 per cent. in Armadale, 20.9 per cent. in Clydebank, 21.3 per cent. in Coatbridge. 22.1 per cent. in Wishaw, 22.8 per cent. in Kilsyth, 23.3 per cent. in Lochgelly, and 24.3 per cent. in Govan. (Table XLIII.)

Of the population of Scotland, 49.6 per cent. were enumerated in houses of two rooms or less, while 50.4 per cent. were enumerated in houses of more than two rooms. In the burghs with populations of 2,000 and over, the proportion enumerated in houses of not more than two rooms was 52.9 per cent., and in houses of more than two rooms. 47.1 per cent. In the remainder of Scotland these percentages are found to be 43.6 and 56.4 respectively. Thus the proportion of the population in these burghs living in the smaller houses is higher, and that living in the larger houses, lower, than in the remainder of the country.

In these burghs, the percentage, of persons living in one-roomed houses varies from 27.1 in Armadale, 26.5 in Kilsyth, 23.0 in Wishaw, 22.4 in Coatbridge, 19.6 in Galston, 19.3 in Airdrie, and 18.7 in Hamilton, to 0.3 in Duns, 0.7 in Newport, 1.0 in Bridge of Allan, 1.1 in Kirkwall, and 1.3 in Turriff and in Carnoustie. The percentage living in two-roomed houses varies from 67.2 in Lochgelly, 62.3 in Clydebank, 61.7 in Govan, 60.0 in Renfrew, 591 in Cowdenbeath, 56.9 in Port-Glasgow, 557 in Armadale, and 55.5 in Barrhead, to 8.1 in Newport, 8.2 in Castle-Douglas, 11.6 in Kirkwall and Carnoustie, 117 in Turriff, and 12.5 in Duns. The percentage of the population of these burghs living in houses of more than two rooms varies from 91.2 in Newport, 90.1 in Castle-Douglas, 87.3 in Kirkwall, 87.2 in Duns, 87.1 in Carnoustie, and 87.0 in Turriff, to 17.2 in Armadale, 23.5 in Coatbridge, 23.9 in Wishaw, 24.9 in Clydebank, 25.5 in Kilsyth and in Lochgelly, 27.3 in Govan, and 29.0 in Galston and in Barrhead. (Table XLIV.)

Of the population of Scotland, 54.9 per cent. are found to be living not more than two in a room; 781 per cent. not more than three in a room; and 91.4 per cent., not more than four in a room. In the burghs of 2,000 population and over, taken collectively, these percentages are found to be 52.4, 77.3, and 91.4, while in the remainder of Scotland they are 59.3, 79.7, and 91.3. On the other hand, 451 per cent. of the population of Scotland are found to be living more than two in a room, 21.9 per cent. more than three in a room, and 8.6 per cent. more than four in a room. In these burghs, the percentages are found to be 47.6, 227, and 8.6, while in the remainder of Scotland they are 40.7, 20.3, and 87 respectively. Thus, should living more than two per room be taken as a standard of crowding, a larger proportion of the burghal population is found to be living in crowded conditions than of the population of the remainder of Scotland, and the same result is found if living more than three in a room be taken as a standard; but if the standard be taken at living more than four per room., no significant difference is found between the proportion within and without these burghs, the one percentage being 8.6 and the other 8.7.

In these burghs, the highest percentages living more than two per room are found in Armadale, 77.5; Kilsyth, 71.6; Coatbridge, 71.2; Wishaw, 70.1; Clydebank, 69.0; Motherwell, 681; Lochgelly, 67.9; Cowdenbeath, 67.6; and Port-Glasgow, 66.7: and the lowest percentages in Newport, 6.7; Moffat, 11.5; Castle-Douglas, 12.5; North Berwick, 14.0; Cupar, 14.0; and Turriff, 14.4. The highest percentages living more than three per room are found in Armadale, 52.7; Kilsyth, 47.8; Wishaw, 451; Coatbridge, 45.0; Hamilton, 40.3; Motherwell, 40.3; Airdrie, 401; and Barrhead, 39.9: and the lowest in Castle-Douglas, 1.8; Newport, 1.9; Carnoustie, 2.9; Moffat, 31; Turriff, 3.3; and Cupar, 3.9. The highest percentages found to be living more than four per room are in Armadale, 34.8; Kilsyth, 28.2; Wishaw, 24.2; Coatbridge, 237; Airdrie, 20.2; Hamilton, 197; Motherwell, 19.2; Ban-head, 17.8; and Galston, 16.9: and the lowest in Huntly, 0.1; Newport. 0.3; Keith, 0.3; Cupar, 0.3; Castle-Douglas, 0.3; Carnoustie, 0.4; and North Berwick, 0.5.

Burghs with populations of 2,000 and over number 144, and in 107 of them fully 25 per cent. of the population live more than two in a room, and in 36 of them fully 25 per cent. live more than three in a room; but in two only, Armadale and Kilsyth, do more than 25 per cent. live more than four in a room. (Table XLV.)

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