British Bombay’s furious 1911 growth rate

In 1911 the population of Bombay was recorded as being 979,000 and the city had recorded an astonishing growth in population, adding 203,000 inhabitants (more than 20% in the decade) from the time of the previous Census, that of 1901.

Detail of Bombay map from 'Indien: Handbuch Für Reisende', published by Verlag von Karl Baedeker in Leipzig, 1914

“British India contains more than 250 Districts,” explained the Imperial Gazeteer of India, 1909. “The average area of a District is 4,430 square miles, and the average population 93,000. The average District is thus about three-fourths of the size of Yorkshire, and its inhabitants number considerably more than half the population of that county. The actual Districts vary greatly in size and density of population. For instance, the Upper Chindwin District of Burma has an area of 19,000 square miles and a population of 153,000; Mymensingh, in Bengal, has an area of over 6,ooo square miles and a population of nearly 4,000,000; and Vizagapatam, in Madras, has an area of more than 17,000 square miles and a population of nearly 3,000,000. Among the major Provinces the Districts are largest in Burma and Madras, and smallest in the United Provinces.”

“Burma is about the size of Sweden, with nearly twice its population, and contains great tracts of forest and jungle. The territories administered by the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, though smaller in extent than Burma, contain more than eight times the number of inhabitants and form the most onerous of the Provincial charges. This Province nearly doubles the population of France, though only three-quarters of its size. The United Provinces of Agra and Oudh are almost as densely populated as Bengal, and contain more people than Austria-Hungary in an area less than that of Austria alone. The population of Madras and the area of Bombay approximate to the population and area of the United Kingdom.”

The Gazeteer explained in detail the role of the principal administrators, none of whom seemed more indeispensible than the District Collector: “The ordinary day’s work of the Collector-Magistrate entails many other miscellaneous duties, which vary in accordance with circumstances and of which it would be difficult to give a complete list. The Government looks to him for information on all important occurrences which take place in his District, he is called on to advise on general schemes which may be under consideration, and he is expected to explain to the people any new orders of the Government which they may not readily understand.”

“In times of stress and difficulty his duties and responsibilities are increased tenfold. If a collision is apprehended between Hindus and Muhammadans, or if an agrarian difficulty is likely to result in outrage, it is to his tact and firmness that the Government looks to prevent violence, and, if necessary, to quell disorder. Should the District be attacked by famine he is responsible for the lives of the people; he must watch minutely, and keep the Government informed of, the progress of events, and must organize and carry out measures of relief. For the proper discharge of his many duties he must be accessible to and intimately acquainted with the inhabitants. This acquaintance cannot be gained at the desk or on the bench, and accordingly the Collector-Magistrate spends several months of the year in camp. During his tours he inspects the working of the various departments with which he is concerned, satisfies himself as to the manner in which his subordinate officers are carrying out their duties, and advises and encourages them in their work. At the same time he gets to know the people of all parts of the District, and they have a ready opportunity of discussing their affairs with him. The local magnates will visit his tent with some ceremony; the village elders will come and chat with him about the prospect of their crops, the assessment of their lands, the opening of a new school, some local quarrel regarding a right of way, the dacoity which occurred in the village during the preceding summer…”

Population of Principal Towns (Census of 1911)
				Population		Comparison
	Town	Province/Agency	District/State	in 1911		with 1901
1.	Calcutta with Suburbs and Howrah.	Bengal		1,222,313		+	115,575
	Calcutta and Fort		Calcutta	896,067		+	48,271
	Cossipore and Chitpore		24 Parganas	48,178		+	7,428
	Manicktola		24 Parganas	53,767		+	21,380
	Garden Reach		24 Parganas	45,275		+	17,084
	Howrah		Howrah	179,006		+	21,412
2.	Bombay	Bombay	Bombay	979,445		+	203,439
3.	Madras and Cantonment	Madras	Madras	518,660		+	9,314
4.	Hyderabad and Cantonment	Hyderabad	Hyderabad	500,623		+	52,157
5.	Rangoon and Cantonment	Burma	Rangoon	293,316		+	47,886
6.	Lucknow and Cantonment	United Provinces	Lucknow	259,798		–	4,251
7.	Delhi and Cantonment	Delhi		232,837		+	24,262
8.	Lahore and Cantonment	Punjab	Lahore	228,687		+	25,723
9.	Ahmedabad and Cantonment	Bombay	Ahmedabad	216,777		+	30,888
10.	Benares and Cantonment	United Provinces	Benares	203,804		–	9,275
11.	Agra and Cantonment	United Provinces	Agra	185,449		–	2,573
12.	Cawnpore and Cantonment	United Provinces	Cawnpore	178,557		–	24,240
13.	Allahabad and Cantonment	United Provinces	Allahabad	171,697		–	335
14.	Poona and Cantonment	Bombay	Poona	158,856		+	5,536
15.	Amritsar and Cantonment	Punjab	Amritsar	152,756		–	9,673
16.	Karachi and Cantonment	Bombay	Karachi	151,903		+	35,240
17.	Mandalay and Cantonment	Burma	Mandalay	138,299		–	45,517
18.	Jaipur	Rajputana	Jaipur	137,098		–	23,069
19.	Patna	Bihar and Orissa	Patna	136,153		+	1,368
20.	Madura	Madras	Madura	134,130		+	28,146

ncipal Towns (Census of 1911)
				Population	Comparison
	Town	Province/Agency	District/State	in 1911	with 1901
1.	Calcutta with Suburbs and Howrah.	Bengal		1,222,313	+	115,575
	Calcutta and Fort		Calcutta	896,067	+	48,271
	Cossipore and Chitpore		24 Parganas	48,178	+	7,428
	Manicktola		24 Parganas	53,767	+	21,380
	Garden Reach		24 Parganas	45,275	+	17,084
	Howrah		Howrah	179,006	+	21,412
2.	Bombay	Bombay	Bombay	979,445	+	203,439
3.	Madras and Cantonment	Madras	Madras	518,660	+	9,314
4.	Hyderabad and Cantonment	Hyderabad	Hyderabad	500,623	+	52,157
5.	Rangoon and Cantonment	Burma	Rangoon	293,316	+	47,886
6.	Lucknow and Cantonment	United Provinces	Lucknow	259,798	–	4,251
7.	Delhi and Cantonment	Delhi		232,837	+	24,262
8.	Lahore and Cantonment	Punjab	Lahore	228,687	+	25,723
9.	Ahmedabad and Cantonment	Bombay	Ahmedabad	216,777	+	30,888
10.	Benares and Cantonment	United Provinces	Benares	203,804	–	9,275
11.	Agra and Cantonment	United Provinces	Agra	185,449	–	2,573
12.	Cawnpore and Cantonment	United Provinces	Cawnpore	178,557	–	24,240
13.	Allahabad and Cantonment	United Provinces	Allahabad	171,697	–	335
14.	Poona and Cantonment	Bombay	Poona	158,856	+	5,536
15.	Amritsar and Cantonment	Punjab	Amritsar	152,756	–	9,673
16.	Karachi and Cantonment	Bombay	Karachi	151,903	+	35,240
17.	Mandalay and Cantonment	Burma	Mandalay	138,299	–	45,517
18.	Jaipur	Rajputana	Jaipur	137,098	–	23,069
19.	Patna	Bihar and Orissa	Patna	136,153	+	1,368
20.	Madura	Madras	Madura	134,130	+	28,146