Melissa Joyce

R. Schwartz

Lab 2

October 24^th, 2005

1. Briefly describe the pattern of population density in England and Wales in 1851.

In 1851, the map of population density shows that the most people per square kilometer reside in registration districts around major cities such as London, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Bristol. Highly populated areas such as these have between 144-127466 people per square kilometer. The registration districts located adjacently to those with the above density often fall within the next bracket of density. In the first quadrant (as labeled on the 1851 map) the population density follows this same general pattern with high density cities surrounded in close proximity to registration districts with moderate density. In the second quadrant there are many more very low density (4-51 people per square kilometer) registration districts especially in the northern and southern locations of the quadrant. In the third quadrant, there is again the same grouping but in this region there are more districts that fall in the 52-73 and 74-143 than in the 4-51density. The fifth quadrant encompassing London and other registration districts, more directly follows the pattern of high density cities located adjacently to districts with moderate density. Although at this time there are a handful of districts with the highest density, this area will continue to grow in population over the next fifty years.

2. Briefly describe one significant change to the 1851 pattern that you see in the map for 1881. If you see no significant change, briefly support your reasoning.

The significant change in the population density of 1851 to 1881 is that the registration districts that were located adjacent to districts with the highest bracket of density also grew in population per square kilometer. There are also more districts that fall into the lowest population density bracket (4-51) in places that previously had the second lowest population density. This suggests a consolidation of sorts. People are moving to and near to registration districts that already have a high population density (Birmingham, Newcastle, Manchester, etc.) lowering the population density in areas that are not cities.

3. Briefly describe one significant change to the 1881 pattern that you see in the map for 1901. If you see no significant change, briefly support your reasoning.

The pattern continues as it did from 1851 to 1881, but there are also some more specific changes that can be examined. One of which is in the third quadrant of the map of 1881. The registration districts in proximity to Bristol and south of Bristol have mostly 74-143 people per square kilometer, with higher densities near Bristol as well as on the coast. In the 1910 map there are less of the 74-143 bracket and more of the 4-51 bracket of population density, especially along the shore where population density shrunk in many districts from 144-573 people per square kilometer to 52-73 people per square kilometer.

4. Locate on your maps one place discussed in one of Winter’s chapters 3 through 8. Briefly describe the pattern of population density in that place over time. (A place might be as small as one registration district or a cluster of them.)

The pattern of population density over time in the registration district of Northwich and those surrounding was 74-143 people per square kilometer in 1851 and 144-573 people per square kilometer in 1881 and 1901. In Winter’s chapter 7, Holes, Northwich is a district that is greatly affected from the collapse of earth due to mining in the area. Homes and businesses bowed to each other as the earth sank away. I expected the population density to decrease instead of increase due to the destruction in that area. Winter acknowledges however that, “infirm foundations were simply realities of life…and that anyone who knowingly chose such a place to reside should learn how to adapt.”

5. Why? What explains a pattern? Study the maps below of mineral deposits, the distribution of employment in manufacturing, domestic service, and agriculture. Choose one of your “patterns” from above (1-3) and one of the maps below. Then briefly describe what you see to be a geographic correspondence between the two (there will not be any complete correspondence.) What do you think the correspondence means?

From question two, the pattern of consolidation around registration districts/cities that already have a high population density compared to Map 2: Mineral Resources- I have found a geographic correspondence between certain districts and their natural resources that might explain an increase in population to those cities. The two clearest examples of this correspondence are in the districts of and around Newcastle and Birmingham. Both districts and their adjacent districts all had an increase in population density. On the mineral resources map there are also sizable deposits of coal and iron. In the age of the industrial revolution, the need for coal to power steam engines, and steal to build them, the coal and iron deposits would be very valuable. Owners of that property would need workers to mine, and the workers would have to live nearby. This is one possible explanation for the increase in people per square kilometer in these registration districts. Another example where this occurs, and you can see over time, is in the third quadrant, areas north of Bristol. Population density clearly increases and there are huge deposits of coal and iron in this area as well. In conclusion, people move to where the work is.

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