A. William Flux
Encyclopedia
Sir Alfred William Flux CB (8 April 1867 – 16 July 1942) was a British
economist
and statistician
.
Flux was born in the Landport
district of Portsmouth
in 1867, the son of a cement maker. He attended Portsmouth Grammar School then studied mathematics at St John's College, Cambridge
where he was a Senior Wrangler in 1887 (sharing the honour in a tie with three others). While at Cambridge he became friends with Alfred Marshall
, who interested him in economics. He was a foundation member of the Economic Society (1890), and from 1893 until 1908 taught economics, at Manchester and then at McGill University
, Montreal. In 1897 while in Manchester he married Harriet Emily Hansen, a Danish woman.
Flux returned to London in 1908 to take up a post as advisor to the Commercial, Labour and Statistics Department. In 1918, he was appointed Head of the Statistics Department of the Board of Trade
.
The Royal Statistical Society
awarded him the Guy Medal
in Silver in 1921 and in Gold in 1930. He also served as President of the Society between 1928 and 1930.
Flux retired to Denmark in 1932 and was knighted
in 1934. He died of pneumonia in 1942, aged 75.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
and statistician
Statistician
A statistician is someone who works with theoretical or applied statistics. The profession exists in both the private and public sectors. The core of that work is to measure, interpret, and describe the world and human activity patterns within it...
.
Flux was born in the Landport
Landport
Landport is a district located near the centre of Portsea Island and is part of the city of Portsmouth, England.The district contains the main shopping area for Portsmouth. Before World War II the district was also a residential area, mainly catering for employees of the naval dockyard and their...
district of Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
in 1867, the son of a cement maker. He attended Portsmouth Grammar School then studied mathematics at St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
where he was a Senior Wrangler in 1887 (sharing the honour in a tie with three others). While at Cambridge he became friends with Alfred Marshall
Alfred Marshall
Alfred Marshall was an Englishman and one of the most influential economists of his time. His book, Principles of Economics , was the dominant economic textbook in England for many years...
, who interested him in economics. He was a foundation member of the Economic Society (1890), and from 1893 until 1908 taught economics, at Manchester and then at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, Montreal. In 1897 while in Manchester he married Harriet Emily Hansen, a Danish woman.
Flux returned to London in 1908 to take up a post as advisor to the Commercial, Labour and Statistics Department. In 1918, he was appointed Head of the Statistics Department of the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
.
The Royal Statistical Society
Royal Statistical Society
The Royal Statistical Society is a learned society for statistics and a professional body for statisticians in the UK.-History:It was founded in 1834 as the Statistical Society of London , though a perhaps unrelated London Statistical Society was in existence at least as early as 1824...
awarded him the Guy Medal
Guy Medal
The Guy Medals are awarded by the Royal Statistical Society in three categories; Gold, Silver and Bronze. The Gold Medal is awarded triennially, the other two are awarded annually...
in Silver in 1921 and in Gold in 1930. He also served as President of the Society between 1928 and 1930.
Flux retired to Denmark in 1932 and was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1934. He died of pneumonia in 1942, aged 75.
Further reading
- Clay, Henry; Whitaker, John K. (2004) "Flux, Sir Alfred William (1867–1942)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press.