Charles Hilliard Feinstein, FBA (18 March 1932 – 27 November 2004) was a noted South African and British economic historian. He was born in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a Megacity#List of megacities, megacity, and is List of urban areas by p ...

, received his early education at Parktown Boys' High School and studied at

Witwatersrand University The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (), is a multi-campus South African public research university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University or Wits ( or ). The university ...

and

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

where he completed his doctorate. In 1958, he joined the Department of Applied Economics at Cambridge. During this period, other notable economic historians such as Phyllis Deane and

W. A. Cole W. may refer to: * SoHo (Australian TV channel) (previously W.), an Australian pay television channel * ''W.'' (film), a 2008 American biographical drama film based on the life of George W. Bush * "W.", the fifth track from Codeine's 1992 EP ''Bar ...

were hard at work, extending data series on the UK economy back into previous centuries. In 1972, Feinstein published his ''magnum opus'', ''National Income, Expenditure and Output of the United Kingdom, 1855-1965'', which has since come to be seen as the standard reference work on UK economic data for the period. ''The Times'' said of this book:

Although Feinstein undertook many more investigations, this was perhaps his crowning achievement. Of the several similar projects undertaken in different countries, for example the American, Canadian, Australian and German initiatives, it is fair to say that the one that Feinstein brought into being was the most elegantly reasoned, organised and presented. It was all the more remarkable for being the work largely of one man.

A fellow of

Clare College, Cambridge Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Iris ...

, Feinstein was also associated with the universities of York, Harvard, Oxford and Cape Town in the course of a distinguished academic career. He was Chichele Professor of Economic History at All Souls College, Oxford for many years, and was instrumental in the creation of the Oxford Masters (MSc and MPhil) in Social and Economic History. The Feinstein Prize, endowed in his honour, is awarded each year to the student on these courses who writes the best thesis. He is also the author of a history of South Africa entitled ''An economic history of South Africa: conquest, discrimination and development'', published posthumously by Cambridge University Press in 2005.

References

External links

* Nicholas Dimsdale
"Charles Feinstein" (obituary)
''The Guardian'', 29 December 2004
"Charles Feinstein (1932–2004), and British National Accounts"
Avner Offer, Nuffield. Includes extensive bibliography. {{DEFAULTSORT:Feinstein, Charles Hilliard British economists Economic historians 1932 births 2004 deaths Chichele Professors of Economic History Fellows of All Souls College, Oxford University of the Witwatersrand alumni Alumni of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge Fellows of Clare College, Cambridge Alumni of Parktown Boys' High School Fellows of the British Academy