SCHOLASTIC ESTABLISHMENTS, ETC. 19 



excellence of its Schools. It has been computed that the 

 number of pupils in the schools, sent hither from other places, 

 is at present (1883) about two thousand. In 1869, Southport 

 was made a centre for the Cambridge University Local Exam- 

 inations, and has distinguished itself as a centre by the marked 

 success of the boys and girls examined here every December. 

 It has been far above the average success of other centres. 

 This is an excellent testimony to the thorough education given 

 in the schools of Southport. The total number of youths and 

 girls examined since 1869 has been 1,359, of whom 945, 

 or upwards of 69 per cent, have successfully passed the 

 Examinations. Upwards of 27 per cent, of these Examinees 

 have passed, moreover, in honours. At the Examination in 

 December, 1882, the average of the Southport candidates who 

 came up to the Examiners' requirements was nearly 13 per 

 cent, higher than the average of all England ; and, in com- 

 parison with the results attained at some of the great city 

 centres, Southport appears in a still more favourable light. 



The political franchise is held by 2,361 persons 1670 in 

 the borough of Southport, and 691 in Birkdale. The consti- 

 tuency forms a portion of the south-western division of 

 Lancashire. 



The land upon which the town is built is owned by repre- 

 sentatives of the Hesketh and Scarisbrick families. A large 

 portion of Birkdale is the property of Mr. T. Weld-Blundell. 



The rise in the value of public and private property has 

 been commensurate with the increase of the population, the 

 grand total being now about ,12,000,000. The average 

 annual rent of the houses is 40. 



The Southport Waterworks Company obtained their first 



