Bernard Benjamin
Encyclopedia
Bernard Benjamin was a noted British
health statistician
, actuary
and demographer. He was author or co-author of at least six books and over 100 papers in learned journals.
He was born in London
and studied physics
part-time at Sir John Cass College while working as an actuary for the London County Council
pension fund, later moving to the public health
section. Following wartime service as a statistician in the RAF
he returned to the same civilian job and studied part-time for a PhD
on the analysis of tuberculosis
mortality
. He was appointed Chief Statistician at the General Register Office
in 1952, Director of Statistics at the Ministry of Health
in 1963, then the first Director of the Intelligence Unit of the Greater London Council
in 1966. In 1973 he became professor of actuarial science
at City University, the first chair in actuarial science at an English university, where he designed the first undergraduate degree program in the subject in the country.
He was secretary-general of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population from 1962 to 1963. He was president of the Institute of Actuaries
from 1966 to 1968 and of the Royal Statistical Society
from 1970 to 1972, and was awarded the highest honours of both bodies – the Gold Medal (1975) and the Guy Medal
in Gold (1986), respectively.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
health 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...
, actuary
Actuary
An actuary is a business professional who deals with the financial impact of risk and uncertainty. Actuaries provide expert assessments of financial security systems, with a focus on their complexity, their mathematics, and their mechanisms ....
and demographer. He was author or co-author of at least six books and over 100 papers in learned journals.
He was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and studied physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
part-time at Sir John Cass College while working as an actuary for the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
pension fund, later moving to the public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
section. Following wartime service as a statistician in the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
he returned to the same civilian job and studied part-time for a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
on the analysis of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
mortality
Mortality rate
Mortality rate is a measure of the number of deaths in a population, scaled to the size of that population, per unit time...
. He was appointed Chief Statistician at the General Register Office
General Register Office
The General Register Office for England and Wales is the section of the UK Identity and Passport Service responsible for the civil registration of births , adoptions, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths in England and Wales and for those same events outwith the UK if they involve a UK citizen...
in 1952, Director of Statistics at the Ministry of Health
Department of Health (United Kingdom)
The Department of Health is a department of the United Kingdom government with responsibility for government policy for health and social care matters and for the National Health Service in England along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwise devolved to the Scottish,...
in 1963, then the first Director of the Intelligence Unit of the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
in 1966. In 1973 he became professor of actuarial science
Actuarial science
Actuarial science is the discipline that applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in the insurance and finance industries. Actuaries are professionals who are qualified in this field through education and experience...
at City University, the first chair in actuarial science at an English university, where he designed the first undergraduate degree program in the subject in the country.
He was secretary-general of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population from 1962 to 1963. He was president of the Institute of Actuaries
Institute of Actuaries
The Institute of Actuaries was one of the two professional which represented actuaries in the United Kingdom . The Institute was based in England, while the other body, the Faculty of Actuaries, was based in Scotland...
from 1966 to 1968 and of 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...
from 1970 to 1972, and was awarded the highest honours of both bodies – the Gold Medal (1975) and 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 Gold (1986), respectively.
