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Gregory KingEnglish statistician
Date of Birth: 15.12.1650
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Gregory King: English Statistician
- Contributions to Demography
- The King Formula and Corn Prices
- Literary Legacy and the Influence on Davenant
- Key Publication
Gregory King: English Statistician
Early Life and CareerGregory King, born in 1648, emerged as a prominent statistician in his time. Drawing upon official records of Treasury revenues, population figures, and London parish registers, King endeavored to meticulously calculate the population statistics of England.
Contributions to Demography
King's meticulous analysis extended to analyzing the distribution of the population across age groups, genders, and social classes. He further explored their economic status, painting a detailed portrait of English society.
The King Formula and Corn Prices
King devised a formula establishing that the price of rye would increase proportionally to the severity of crop failures. This formula, initially accepted as a reliable indicator, has since lost its relevance due to the advent of global trade.
Literary Legacy and the Influence on Davenant
While King's written works were posthumously published, his manuscripts were passed on to his friend Charles Davenant. Davenant heavily utilized these manuscripts in his own publications, often without acknowledging King's authorship.
Key Publication
King's most notable work, "Natural and political observations and conclusions upon the state and condition of England in 1696," was attached as an appendix to Chalmers' "Estimate of the comparative strength of Great-Britain." It remains a valuable source of historical data on English society.
