Eli Devons
Encyclopedia
Ely Devons an economist
and statistician
, was born in Bangor, Gwynedd
North Wales, lived most of his life in Manchester
and died after a long illness at St Thomas Hospital
in London. He was survived by his wife, the concert pianist Estelle Wine, and their three children.
where he read Economics, Politics and Modern History and would graduate with first class honours. After graduating he received a research fellowship to undertake an MA specialising in Economics and produced a well-received thesis on productivity that was published in The Economic Journal.
He worked as an economic assistant in Manchester at the Joint Committee of Cotton Trades Organisations over the period 1935–1939 and was brought into the Ministry of Supply
, as a statistician working on Cotton Control, soon after the outbreak of the Second World War. Within a year he was encouraged to join the War Cabinet’s Central Economic Intelligence Service (the precursor to the Economic Section and Central Statistics Office) by John Jewkes
and Harry Campion
, two former colleagues from Manchester. Devons began work in Whitehall in March 1940 and joined a tight group of former academics and economists – a group that also included Lionel Robbins
, Norman Chester, Alec Cairncross, Evan Durbin
, D.G. Champernowne, and Harold Wilson
– drafted into the British war effort. Between 1940 and 1945 he became the first Chief Statistician for the Central Statistics Office, then Director of Statistics, and finally the Director General of Planning, Programmes and Statistics with the Ministry of Aircraft Production.
After the war, he returned to Manchester as a Reader in Applied Economics and, in 1947, was appointed the Robert Ottley Professor of Applied Economics
(the first such chair in a British University). Despite initial reservations, he remained at Manchester until 1959 and helped to build a dynamic Faculty of Economic and Social Studies working alongside Arthur Lewis
, Harry Johnson
, Michael Polyani, Max Glukman and Bill Mackenzie. Devons’ career ended at the London School of Economics
(where he had replaced James Meade
as Professor of Commerce) when illness forced his early retirement in 1965; the Ely Devons Prize, for outstanding performance in the MSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics programme, is awarded in his honour. Away from Higher Education, he served on the council of the Royal Economic Society (1956–1964), the Local Government Commission (1959 to 1965) and as a sometime Government advisor to the aircraft industry and Monopolies Commission.
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...
, was born in Bangor, Gwynedd
Bangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
North Wales, lived most of his life in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and died after a long illness at St Thomas Hospital
St Thomas Hospital
St. Thomas Hospital may refer to the following hospitals:*Saint Thomas Hospital, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.*St Thomas' Hospital, London, England, U.K.*St Thomas Hospital, Kerala, Kattimoola, Kerala, India...
in London. He was survived by his wife, the concert pianist Estelle Wine, and their three children.
Life
As a child Devons’ family moved throughout Britain and he was schooled at Hanley High School, Portsmouth Grammar School, and North Manchester Grammar School. From 1931 to 1934, Devons attended the Victoria University of ManchesterVictoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
where he read Economics, Politics and Modern History and would graduate with first class honours. After graduating he received a research fellowship to undertake an MA specialising in Economics and produced a well-received thesis on productivity that was published in The Economic Journal.
He worked as an economic assistant in Manchester at the Joint Committee of Cotton Trades Organisations over the period 1935–1939 and was brought into the Ministry of Supply
Ministry of Supply
The Ministry of Supply was a department of the UK Government formed in 1939 to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to all three British armed forces, headed by the Minister of Supply. There was, however, a separate ministry responsible for aircraft production and the Admiralty retained...
, as a statistician working on Cotton Control, soon after the outbreak of the Second World War. Within a year he was encouraged to join the War Cabinet’s Central Economic Intelligence Service (the precursor to the Economic Section and Central Statistics Office) by John Jewkes
John Jewkes
John Jewkes was a British classical liberal economist. He was Professor of Economic Organisation at Merton College, Oxford.His main work, Ordeal by Planning, was written in 1946; in it he argues that the central planning implemented in the United Kingdom during World War II can only lead to...
and Harry Campion
Harry Campion
Sir Harry Campion, KCB, CBE was a British statistician and the first director of what was the Central Statistical Office of the United Kingdom. He was also first director of the United Nations Statistical Office...
, two former colleagues from Manchester. Devons began work in Whitehall in March 1940 and joined a tight group of former academics and economists – a group that also included Lionel Robbins
Lionel Robbins
Lionel Charles Robbins, Baron Robbins, FBA was a British economist and head of the economics department at the London School of Economics...
, Norman Chester, Alec Cairncross, Evan Durbin
Evan Durbin
Evan Frank Mottram Durbin was a British economist and left-wing politician, whose writings combined a belief in central economic planning with a conviction that the price mechanism of markets was indispensable....
, D.G. Champernowne, and Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
– drafted into the British war effort. Between 1940 and 1945 he became the first Chief Statistician for the Central Statistics Office, then Director of Statistics, and finally the Director General of Planning, Programmes and Statistics with the Ministry of Aircraft Production.
After the war, he returned to Manchester as a Reader in Applied Economics and, in 1947, was appointed the Robert Ottley Professor of Applied Economics
Applied economics
Applied economics is a term that refers to the application of economic theory and analysis. While not a field of economics, it is typically characterized by the application of economic theory and econometrics to address practical issues in a range of fields including labour economics, industrial...
(the first such chair in a British University). Despite initial reservations, he remained at Manchester until 1959 and helped to build a dynamic Faculty of Economic and Social Studies working alongside Arthur Lewis
Arthur Lewis
Arthur Lewis may refer to:* Arthur Lewis , American Paralympic athlete* Arthur Lewis former member of the Australian Parliament...
, Harry Johnson
Harry Johnson
Harry Zephaniah Johnson is a Jamaican reggae record producer of African, Sicilian and Scottish descent. He is the head of the landmark Harry J. Records, located at 10 Roosevelt Avenue, Kingston 6, Jamaica WI.-Biography:Johnson started to play music with the Virtues as a bass player before moving...
, Michael Polyani, Max Glukman and Bill Mackenzie. Devons’ career ended at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(where he had replaced James Meade
James Meade
James Edward Meade CB, FBA was a British economist and winner of the 1977 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences jointly with the Swedish economist Bertil Ohlin for their "Pathbreaking contribution to the theory of international trade and international capital movements."Meade was born in...
as Professor of Commerce) when illness forced his early retirement in 1965; the Ely Devons Prize, for outstanding performance in the MSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics programme, is awarded in his honour. Away from Higher Education, he served on the council of the Royal Economic Society (1956–1964), the Local Government Commission (1959 to 1965) and as a sometime Government advisor to the aircraft industry and Monopolies Commission.