Census, or an Account of the Number of Inhabitants, taken under authority of an Act of Parliament, in 1811. It appears from the Government Surveyor's books, that in 1816 there are 12,727 families in the twenty-four police wards, who pay rent and taxes; suppose, therefore, that each family average five souls, the population within the Royalty will be 63.635, being an increase of 5271 during the period of five years. If to this number the population of the Gorbals, Govan, and Barony parishes be added, conformable to the Census of 1811, the amount will be 115,731, and if the increase on the population of these three parishes, which contain 52,096 souls, daring five years, be 4,269, the grand total, in 1816, will be 120,000 souls. BILL OF MORTALITY IN GLASGOW, FROM 1694 TILL 1816. The Burials in 1815, were as follows, viz. In High Church-yard, In Infirmary Burying-ground, 668 96 In Blackfriars, North-West and Ramshorn Church-yards, 413 In Episcopal Chapel Burying-ground, 14 Although the cause is not distinctly ascertained, it will be observed, that the mortality in 1814 was considerably above the average. In 1808, nearly 1000 persons died of the measles. The above lists are made out from the books of the overseers of the Church-yards, who attend at every funeral, and receive 518 ANNALS OF GLASGOW. a fee for entering in a book, the name, age, and disease of the deceased, and for other services performed. The burying-grounds in the City and Suburbs, are generally of a dry mould. The prices of lairs are various; those belonging to the City, viz. the south and north grounds at the High Church, the Blackfriars, Ramshorn, and North-West, are sold from four pounds ten shillings to twenty guineas. The latter are twelve feet by nine, bounded by an ashlar wall, to which the purchasers can place a railing. The lairs in some of the other burying-grounds, are sold at a rate somewhat lower. The Magistrates and Council, on 18th March 1815, the better to accommodate such persons as have no lairs of their own, but bury their dead in the public burying-grounds, set aside a number of lairs in the North-West burying-ground, on which they have placed large stones, and for which a charge of from ten shillings and sixpence to one guinea is made for the funeral of an adult; and where there is no stone provided to cover the grave, the charge is from two shillings to four shillings, including the digging of the grave, and every other expense. |