Noel Frederick Hall
Encyclopedia
Noel Frederick Hall was a economist and academic who was one of Britain's earliest post-war specialists in business theory and education. He was Professor of Political Economy at University College London
, co-founder of what is now Henley Business School
and Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford
.
and distinction in the Oxford University
Certificate in Social Anthropology (1925), after which he was granted a Commonwealth Fund
(Harkness) fellowship to study economics at Princeton
where he was awarded Artium Magister
(1926).
He taught at University College London (UCL) from 1927–38, where he recruited Hugh Gaitskell
as an assistant lecturer. Hall was UCL's Professor of Political Economy
from 1935 to 1938, when he was appointed Director of the newly-created National Institute of Economic and Social Research (1938–43). In World War II
he served in a senior position at the Ministry of Economic Warfare and then led the War Trade department at the British embassy in Washington
.
Noel Hall stayed in the US after the war to make a study of interest rates at Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study
and on his return to Britain was the founding Principal of the Administrative Staff College, Henley
. He was knighted in 1957.
Sir Noel returned to Brasenose as Principal from 1960-73 where he was "a glorious name-dropper" popular with students and old members, "adept in public relations" though "incorrigibly vague" in committee. He was allegedly a patron of Jeffrey Archer, and welcomed the Beatles
when they visited in 1964. Hall's interest in management education continued during his tenure at Brasenose, and he was chairman of the first Academic Planning Board of Lancaster University
. A member of the Oxford Regional Hospital Board, he led a working party to re-organize British hospital pharmaceutical services in response to the vast increase in new drugs becoming available at the end of the 1960s. Their "milestone" recommendations significantly expanded the role of hospital pharmacists, making them responsible for ensuring their medical and nursing colleagues use drugs safely, effectively and economically, and the Noel Hall working party was seen as a new style of expert committee whose use of statistics and research-based evidence was the catalyst for "monumental change".
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, co-founder of what is now Henley Business School
Henley Business School
The Henley Business School at the University of Reading is an English triple accredited business school, and the first business school to be established in the United Kingdom. It was formed by merging the previously independent Henley Management College, formerly the Administrative Staff College,...
and Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
.
Biographical sketch
As an undergraduate at Brasenose, Noel Hall achieved a first in Modern historyModern history
Modern history, or the modern era, describes the historical timeline after the Middle Ages. Modern history can be further broken down into the early modern period and the late modern period after the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution...
and distinction in the Oxford University
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
Certificate in Social Anthropology (1925), after which he was granted a Commonwealth Fund
Harkness Fellowship
The Harkness Fellowships are a programme run by the Commonwealth Fund of New York City. They were established to reciprocate the Rhodes Scholarships and enable Fellows from several countries to spend time studying in the United States...
(Harkness) fellowship to study economics at Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
where he was awarded Artium Magister
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(1926).
He taught at University College London (UCL) from 1927–38, where he recruited Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell CBE was a British Labour politician, who held Cabinet office in Clement Attlee's governments, and was the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1955, until his death in 1963.-Early life:He was born in Kensington, London, the third and youngest...
as an assistant lecturer. Hall was UCL's Professor of Political Economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
from 1935 to 1938, when he was appointed Director of the newly-created National Institute of Economic and Social Research (1938–43). In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served in a senior position at the Ministry of Economic Warfare and then led the War Trade department at the British embassy in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
Noel Hall stayed in the US after the war to make a study of interest rates at Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
and on his return to Britain was the founding Principal of the Administrative Staff College, Henley
Henley Business School
The Henley Business School at the University of Reading is an English triple accredited business school, and the first business school to be established in the United Kingdom. It was formed by merging the previously independent Henley Management College, formerly the Administrative Staff College,...
. He was knighted in 1957.
Sir Noel returned to Brasenose as Principal from 1960-73 where he was "a glorious name-dropper" popular with students and old members, "adept in public relations" though "incorrigibly vague" in committee. He was allegedly a patron of Jeffrey Archer, and welcomed the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
when they visited in 1964. Hall's interest in management education continued during his tenure at Brasenose, and he was chairman of the first Academic Planning Board of Lancaster University
Lancaster University
Lancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a leading research-intensive British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964 and initially based in St Leonard's Gate until moving to a purpose-built 300 acre campus at...
. A member of the Oxford Regional Hospital Board, he led a working party to re-organize British hospital pharmaceutical services in response to the vast increase in new drugs becoming available at the end of the 1960s. Their "milestone" recommendations significantly expanded the role of hospital pharmacists, making them responsible for ensuring their medical and nursing colleagues use drugs safely, effectively and economically, and the Noel Hall working party was seen as a new style of expert committee whose use of statistics and research-based evidence was the catalyst for "monumental change".