George W. (George William) Daniels

Born in Lancashire on January 2, 1878, George William Daniels built an academic career later than many of his contemporaries. He studied at Ruskin College and the University of Manchester, where he went on to become a respected teacher and scholar in economics.

Daniels was known as both a political economist and a historian, with a special interest in Britain’s industrial development. His best-known book, The Early English Cotton Industry, explores the rise of cotton manufacturing in England and reflects his wider interest in how economic systems grew out of real social and working conditions.

He was also active in learned societies, serving as vice-president of the Chetham Society and president of the Manchester Statistical Society. Daniels died on December 17, 1937, and is remembered for combining scholarly care with a practical understanding of economic life.