This article examines the geographical distribution of socio-economic groups in England and Wales based on data from the 1961 Census of Population. Each Local Authority is classified into one of six categories, depending on the socio-economic class composition of the male population. The six socio-economic categories shown on the map are defined by reference to the socio-economic composition of the total population for England and Wales.
References
1.
Census 1961 England and Wales, Housing Tables, Part III. Local Housing Indices . H.M.S.O.1965.
2.
ibid.The composition of the 17 socio-economic groups is detailed, but only for the three classes are the percentages recorded for each administrative unit. However, in Census 1961 England and Wales, Socio-Economic Group Tables, H.M.S.O.1966, no reference is made to the classes, but information (percentages and totals) for each administrative unit is recorded for all the 17 socio-economic groups. In this article the Census term Set is replaced by Class.
3.
ibid.Class i comprises socio-economic groups (I) and (2) Employers and Managers in central and local government, in industry and commerce, (3) and (4) Professional workers self-employed and employees, and (13) Professional workers.
4.
Class 2 comprises (5) and (6) Intermediate and Junior non-manual workers, (8) Foremen and Supervisors-manual, (9) Skilled manual workers (12) Own account workers (other than professional) and (14) Farmers having no employees other than family workers.
5.
Class 3 comprises workers in all other socio-economic groups, (7) Personal Service workers, (10) and (11) Semiskilled and unskilled manual workers (15) agricultural workers, (16) Members of armed forces, (17) Indefinite-persons with inadequately stated occupations.
6.
In a very small number of cases, figures recorded for a local authority were equal to the national average figures. In these cases the authorities were placed in an appropriate category on consultation of the detailed socio-economic data and of other census material.
