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Sir Jervoise Athelstane Baines
The death of Sir Athelstane Baines on November 26, 1925, removed from
the ranks of the International Statistical Institute one of its most valued
members. Elected in 1897 he had attended seven of its Sessions beginning
with Kristiania in 1899, and ending with Brussels in 1923. He took a keen
interest in the proceedings of the Institute, particularly in connection
with demographic statistics in which field it has for many years been
a pioneer. On more than one occasion he was president, or vice-president,
of the Demographic Section and his contributions to the discussions were
distinguished not only by a wide grasp both of theory and practice, but
also by a special aptitude for presenting his views lucidly and persuasively.
Born in 1847, Sir Athelstane was educated at Rugby School and Trinity
College Cambridge, and in 1868 entered the Indian Civil Service. The first
general census of India was taken in 1881 and he then held the post of
Superintendent of Census for Bombay. His work in that connection led to
his appointment as Census Commissioner for the whole country at the next
census in 1891. He revised the classification in some important particulars,
separating the question of caste from that of religion and basing the
enumeration of the population on subsistence by and occupation and not
exercise of it. The general report of the census was entirely written
by him and as The Times stated "it still takes a high place in the literature
of ethnography".
It was actually written after his return from India, a circumstance which
accentuated the personal responsibility of the author for its production.
In demographic literature this Report may be regarded as a classic. The
last official work which he undertook for India was the Secretaryship
of the Opium Commission in 1894 and he retired from the Indian service
in 1895, receiving on retirement the distinction of C.S.I.
Retirement at a comparatively early age from official work did not imply
idleness. He became an Alderman of the London County Council and took
an active interest in the multifarious administrative operations of that
important body. He also interested himself in political organisation for
which his wide knowledge of men and affairs eminently fitted him. In 1904
he removed from London to Oxfordshire and there again he interested himself
in local administration and became a member of the County Council. In
1905 he received the honour of knighthood.
Sir Athelstane Baines was elected a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society
in 1881 and served on the Council of that Society from 1895 to 1909, when
he was elected President.
He was awarded the Guy Medal of the Society in gold in recognition of
his services to statistical science and to the Society, the first being
in 1893 on "The distribution and movement of the population in India",
and the last in 1924 on "The International Statistical Institute and its
fifteenth Session" He was an honorary member of the American Statistical
Association.
Members of the Institute will long remember St Athelstane Baines as a
statistician of eminence and as a man of broad culture and wide administrative
experience and all those who knew him, will especially remember the personal
attractiveness and social charm which endeared him to all whom he came
in contact. Henry Rew.
Copied from: Bulletin de l'Institut international de statistique, 1926
(22.1), 306-307.
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Sir Jervoise Athelstane Baines
By the death on November 26, 1925, of Sir Jervoise Athelstane Baines
the Society has lost one of its most eminent and energetic Fellows. Born
in 1847, he was educated at Rugby and Trinity College, Cambridge, and
passed the Indian Civil Service examination in 1868. The earliest attempt
to enumerate the population of India was made during the five years 1867
to 1872, and when the first synchronous Census was undertaken in 1881,
Mr Baines was deputy-superintendent in the Western Presidency. The aptitude
and ability he then displayed led to his appointment as Census Commissioner
for the whole country at the second decennial Census in 1891. His report
on that Census, as The Times observes, "still takes a high place in the
literature of ethnography." The phrase justly indicates the breadth of
view which was characteristic of the author as a statistician. Then as
in all his subsequent work he brought to the presentation and interpretation
of statistical data not only all the resources of a well-stored mind but
also a gift of sympathetic insight which enabled him to develop with almost
dramatic vividness "the story behind the figures." The glamour of India
which caught him in his early days never quite left him, although he retired
from the Indian Service in 1895 and plunged zealously into the prosaic
atmosphere of English politics and local administration. His last official
work for India was as secretary of the Opium Commission in 1894--95. On
retirement he was awarded the C.S.I. For some years he lived in London
and took an active part in the work of the London County Council of which
he was an Alderman. He settled at Kidlington, Oxon, in 1904, and served
on the Oxfordshire County Council from 1917 to 1922, taking a special
interest in educational work. He also took an active interest in the work
of Friendly Societies and their organization. He received the distinction
of Knighthood in 1905.
Elected a Fellow of the Society in 1881, Sir Athelstane Baines served
continuously on the Council from 1895 to 1909, when he was elected President.
From 1896 to 1909 he was one of the honorary secretaries, for the last
seven years of that period being also honorary foreign secretary. In 1900
the Guy Medal in gold was awarded to him for his services to statistical
science and for his special services to the Society. His contributions
to the proceedings of the Society were numerous, beginning in 1893 with
a paper on "The distribution and movement of the population of India,"
and ending in 1924 with a paper on "The International Statistical Institute
and its Fifteenth Session." His formal contributions were mainly demographic,
but his interventions in the discussions at the Society's meetings were
not only welcomed for their incisiveness and humour, but also demonstrated
his grasp of statistical method and the versatility of his statistical
interest.
Sir Athelstane Baines was elected a member of the International Statistical
Institute in 1897 and attended the Sessions in 1899, 1903, 1905, 1907,
1909, 1911 and 1923. He took an active part in the proceedings of the
Institute and was on more than one occasion appointed Chairman of one
of the Sections. He was an Honorary Member of the American Statistical
Association.
R. H. R.
Among the varied and valuable contributions to Statistics of our late
friend and colleague, it is probable that his work in connection with
the Census of India will stand out most prominently. Anyone with a nodding
acquaintance with Census work will recognize, -those familiar with its
difficulties will admire-the remarkable nature of what is accomplished
in the taking of the Census of India. The unique position which its reports
hold in Census literature was largely due to the inspiration and impetus
given to it by Sir Athelstane Baines.
At the first general Census of India in 1881 he held the post of Superintendent
of Census for Bombay; at the second, ten years later, that of Census Commissioner,
and the striking success of the latter was in great measure due to the
infinite interest and knowledge which he brought to bear upon its manifold
demands.
The Indian Census of 1891 broke away from its predecessor in two important
particulars-first the separation of caste from religion and, secondly,
the substitution of the population subsisting by an occupation for that
exercising it. In both these cases the scheme of classification was the
work of the Census Commissioner.
The General Report of some 300 pages came entirely from his pen. Written,
as it was, in this country, beyond the possibility of consultation with
other branches of the administration, it is a veritable tour de force.
Looking at it again to-day one is struck with admiration for the way in
which the great opportunity was seized, and for the breadth of conception,
perfection of organisation and executive ability which it reveals. And
those of us who have been condemned to couch our Reports in the drab,
dull and precise phraseology so dear to one type of officialism must also
feel a touch of envy at the literary flavour and the wide scholarship
which permeate it.
Of this Report one might say, without straining the quotation,
"Si monumentum requiris, circumspice,"
It is indeed a fitting monument to one who combined with a wholehearted
devotion to statistical science a rare ability and a personality whose
charm endeared him to everyone with whom he came in contact.
S. De J.
Source: Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, 88 (1926), 182-183.
[courtesy of Matthew Woollard]
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