The Statesman's Yearbook
Encyclopedia
The Statesman's Yearbook is a one-volume reference book providing information on the countries of the world. It is currently published by Palgrave Macmillan
.
suggested to Alexander Macmillan (of the family publishing house
) the publication of “a handbook presenting in a compact shape a picture of the actual conditions, political and social of the various states in the civilised world”.
Some years later, the renowned historian Thomas Carlyle
and his friend William Gladstone, introduced Carlyle’s assistant Frederick Martin to Macmillan. German-born Martin, Macmillan realised, was just the man to produce such a handbook.
So it was that an agreement was signed in December 1862 for ‘A Statistical, Genealogical, and Historical Account of the States and Sovereigns of the Civilised World’. Thirteen months later the first Statesman’s Yearbook went on sale. It cost 8 shillings and 4 pence.
Queen Victoria was on the throne and Civil War was raging in America when this first Statesman’s Yearbook appeared in January 1864.
In the preface to this first edition, Martin declared: “The great aim has been to insure an absolute correctness of the multiplicity of fact and figures in The Statesman’s Yearbook.”
His successor, well-known Scottish journalist John Scott Keltie
, took over in 1883. A talented author, editor and scholar and a passionate geographer, he introduced the insertion of thumbnail maps of each country and large political world maps.
After Scott-Keltie’s death, his sometime co-editor Mortimer Epstein took over and edited the work for over twenty years including, remarkably, during World War II when the book continued to be published yearly, despite the rationing of paper.
Epstein died in 1946, and his successor Henry Steinberg was faced with the challenge of producing a new Statesman’s Yearbook for an ever-changing world, as new countries came into being and others ceased to exist. His passion for the task, sharp mind and amiable nature meant that The Statesman’s Yearbook swiftly adapted to the new world order.
Steinberg continued as Editor until 1969 when his assistant, John Paxton, took over. Brian Hunter edited between 1990 and 1997 and Barry Turner took over in 1997.
Palgrave Macmillan
Palgrave Macmillan is an international academic and trade publishing company, headquartered in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom and with offices in New York, Melbourne, Sydney, Hong Kong, Delhi, Johannesburg. It was created in 2000 when St...
.
The first edition
In the middle of the nineteenth century, Prime Minister Robert PeelRobert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
suggested to Alexander Macmillan (of the family publishing house
Macmillan Publishers
Macmillan Publishers Ltd, also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than thirty others.-History:...
) the publication of “a handbook presenting in a compact shape a picture of the actual conditions, political and social of the various states in the civilised world”.
Some years later, the renowned historian Thomas Carlyle
Thomas Carlyle
Thomas Carlyle was a Scottish satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher during the Victorian era.He called economics "the dismal science", wrote articles for the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, and became a controversial social commentator.Coming from a strict Calvinist family, Carlyle was...
and his friend William Gladstone, introduced Carlyle’s assistant Frederick Martin to Macmillan. German-born Martin, Macmillan realised, was just the man to produce such a handbook.
So it was that an agreement was signed in December 1862 for ‘A Statistical, Genealogical, and Historical Account of the States and Sovereigns of the Civilised World’. Thirteen months later the first Statesman’s Yearbook went on sale. It cost 8 shillings and 4 pence.
Queen Victoria was on the throne and Civil War was raging in America when this first Statesman’s Yearbook appeared in January 1864.
In the preface to this first edition, Martin declared: “The great aim has been to insure an absolute correctness of the multiplicity of fact and figures in The Statesman’s Yearbook.”
History
Frederick Martin presided over the book for twenty years, during which time it became established as a leading reference work.His successor, well-known Scottish journalist John Scott Keltie
John Scott Keltie
Sir John Scott Keltie F.R.G.S., F.S.S was a Scottish geographer, best known for his work with the Royal Geographic Society.Keltie was born in Dundee, and attended school in Perth...
, took over in 1883. A talented author, editor and scholar and a passionate geographer, he introduced the insertion of thumbnail maps of each country and large political world maps.
After Scott-Keltie’s death, his sometime co-editor Mortimer Epstein took over and edited the work for over twenty years including, remarkably, during World War II when the book continued to be published yearly, despite the rationing of paper.
Epstein died in 1946, and his successor Henry Steinberg was faced with the challenge of producing a new Statesman’s Yearbook for an ever-changing world, as new countries came into being and others ceased to exist. His passion for the task, sharp mind and amiable nature meant that The Statesman’s Yearbook swiftly adapted to the new world order.
Steinberg continued as Editor until 1969 when his assistant, John Paxton, took over. Brian Hunter edited between 1990 and 1997 and Barry Turner took over in 1997.
List of editors
- Frederick Martin (1864–1883)
- Sir John Scott-Keltie (1883–1926)
- Mortimer Epstein (1927–1946)
- S. H. Steinberg (Sigfrid Henry Steinberg) (1946–1969)
- John Paxton (1969–1990)
- Brian Hunter (1990–1997)
- Barry TurnerBarry Turner (journalist)Barry Turner is a British author, editor, journalist.Barry Turner started his career as a teacher before turning to journalism with The Observer and making many appearances on radio and television. His first book, a study of British politics in the early twentieth century, was published in 1970...
(1997–Present)