Chadwick

Chadwick, SIR EDWIN, a social reformer, born in the vicinity of Manchester, 24th January 1801, studied law, and was called to the bar in 1830. He attracted the notice of Jeremy Bentham by an article on Life Assurances. He early devoted his attention to questions of social, sanitary, and political science, and was by Lord Grey's government appointed an assistant-commissioner to inquire into the operation of the poor-laws. His report, published in 1833, commanded great attention, and laid the foundation of the later systems of government inspection. On the organisation of the new Poor-law Board, Chadwick was appointed secretary. In connection with this Board, and the General Board of Health, Chadwick for twenty years was energetic in improving the administration of poor-law funds and the sanitary condition of the country. His report on interments in towns (1843) laid the foundation of later legislation on the subject. He served on commissions as to the employment of children in factories, on preventable diseases, and on education. On a change being made in the Board of Health in 1854, Chadwick retired with a pension. He afterwards took great interest in promoting competitive examinations for government offices, and indeed in almost all questions of social economy. He was an active member of the Social Science Association. Some of his papers appear in the Transactions of the Statistical Society and of the British Association. He was made K.C.B. in 1889; and he died 5th July 1890. See Richardson's Chadwick (2 vols. 1885).