Who's Who 2022
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''Who's Who'' is a
reference work A reference work is a document, such as a Academic publishing#Scholarly paper, paper, book or periodical literature, periodical (or their electronic publishing, electronic equivalents), to which one can refer for information. The information ...
. It has been published annually in the form of a hardback book since 1849, and has been published online since 1999. It has also been published on
CD-ROM A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains computer data storage, data computers can read, but not write or erase. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold b ...
. It lists, and gives information on, people from around the world who influence British life. Entries include notable figures from government, politics, academia, business, sport and the arts. ''Who's Who 2023'' is the 175th edition and includes more than 33,000 people. In 2004, the book was described as the United Kingdom's most prominent work of biographical reference. The book is the original ''
Who's Who A Who's Who (or Who Is Who) is a reference work consisting of biographical entries of notable people in a particular field. The oldest and best-known is the annual publication ''Who's Who (UK), Who's Who'', a reference work on contemporary promin ...
'' book and "the pioneer work of its type". The book is an origin of the expression "who's who" used in a wider sense.


History

''Who's Who'' has been published since 1849."More about Who's Who"
OUP.
When book publisher
A & C Black A & C Black is a British book publishing company, owned since 2002 by Bloomsbury Publishing. The company is noted for publishing ''Who's Who'' since 1849 and the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' between 1827 and 1903. It offers a wide variety of boo ...
bought the copyright to the publication in 1896, Douglas Sladen was employed with a three-year contract to overhaul the publication. According to Sladen, the old ''Who's Who'' was solely a "handbook of the titled and official classes only", which he sought to modernize by including celebrities from all circles through the use of autobiographical forms. Between 1897 and 1899, under Sladen, ''Who's Who'' expanded its number of entries from 6,000 to 8,500. The inclusion of a "recreations" section for biographies to fill proved to be particularly successful for the book: according to Sladen, newspapers "never tired of quoting the recreations of eminent people", thus attracting publicity for the publication. While Sladen's contract was not renewed, the revised ''Who's Who'' experienced financial success: its sales rose from 10,000 to 12,000 copies between 1901 and 1910, in spite of a twofold increase in the book price for that period. Cedric Arthur Larson stated that ''Who's Who in 1849'' was not biographical. ''Who's Who'' turned into a
biographical dictionary A biographical dictionary is a type of encyclopedic dictionary limited to biographical information. Many attempt to cover the major personalities of a country (with limitations, such as living persons only, in ''Who's Who'', or deceased people o ...
in 1897. In 1963 and 1975, Professor William Lawrence Rivers wrote that ''Who's Who'' then included biographical information. In 1973, a spinoff version, called ''The Academic Who's Who'', was released by the same publisher. Both the first edition, published in 1973, and the second edition, published in 1975, were published by Adam & Charles Black in London. The first US edition was published by Bowker in New York, and the second by Gale Research in Detroit. The second edition contained biographies of almost seven thousand academics. ''Who's Who 1897–1996'' was published on
CD-ROM A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains computer data storage, data computers can read, but not write or erase. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold b ...
and was awarded the McColvin Medal. ''Who's Who 1897–1998'' was also published on CD-ROM. ''Who's Who'' was included in KnowUK from 1999. ''Who's Who 2005'' was included in Xreferplus. The ''Who's Who & Who Was Who'' website (ukwhoswho.com) is dated from 2007 onwards. ''Who's Who'' continues to be published annually in
hardback A hardcover, hard cover, or hardback (also known as hardbound, and sometimes as casebound (At p. 247.)) book is one bound with rigid protective covers (typically of binder's board or heavy paperboard covered with buckram or other cloth, heavy ...
. A history of ''Who's Who'' was published to coincide with the 150th edition in 1998. "Preface with a Brief History 1849–1998" was included in ''Who's Who 1998''.


Publishers and editors

''Who's Who'' was originally published by
Baily Brothers Baily may refer to: People *Baily (surname) *Baily Cargill (born 1995), English footballer Places *Baily (crater), lunar crater *Baily Head, Deception Island, Antarctica *Baily House, Newark, Delaware, United States *An area of Howth in North Co ...
. Since 1897, it has been published by A & C Black. It has been published in New York by the
Macmillan Company Macmillan Publishers (occasionally known as the Macmillan Group; formally Macmillan Publishers Ltd in the United Kingdom and Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC in the United States) is a British publishing company traditionally considered to be on ...
and by
St. Martin's Press St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in Manhattan in New York City. It is headquartered in the Equitable Building (New York City), Equitable Building. St. Martin's Press is considered one of the largest English-language publishe ...
. From 1849 to 1850, ''Who's Who'' was edited by Henry Robert Addison, from 1851 to 1864 by Charles Henry Oakes, from 1865 by William John Lawson and from 1897 to 1899 by Douglas Sladen. Subsequent editions do not disclose the identity of their editor. In 1990, it was reported that after the departure of Douglas Brooke Wheelton Sladen, the people who compiled ''Who's Who'' remained anonymous to conceal the fact that they were female. In 2004, it was reported that the editorial staff and the selection panel endeavour to operate in anonymity so as to shield themselves from unwanted pressures.


Biographies

Academics who study
elite In political and sociological theory, the elite (, from , to select or to sort out) are a small group of powerful or wealthy people who hold a disproportionate amount of wealth, privilege, political power, or skill in a group. Defined by the ...
s have used the book as the primary reference for deducing who is part of the British elite.


Inclusiveness

The subjects of ''Who's Who'' entries include peers, MPs,
judges A judge is an official who presides over a court. Judge or Judges may also refer to: Roles *Judge, an alternative name for an adjudicator in a competition in theatre, music, sport, etc. *Judge, an alternative name/aviator call sign for a membe ...
, senior
civil servants The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...
,
writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles, genres and techniques to communicate ideas, to inspire feelings and emotions, or to entertain. Writers may develop different forms of writing such as novels, short sto ...
s,
lawyer A lawyer is a person who is qualified to offer advice about the law, draft legal documents, or represent individuals in legal matters. The exact nature of a lawyer's work varies depending on the legal jurisdiction and the legal system, as w ...
s,
scientist A scientist is a person who Scientific method, researches to advance knowledge in an Branches of science, area of the natural sciences. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engag ...
s,
academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...
s,
actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
s,
athlete An athlete is most commonly a person who competes in one or more sports involving physical strength, speed, power, or endurance. Sometimes, the word "athlete" is used to refer specifically to sport of athletics competitors, i.e. including track ...
s,
artist An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating the work of art. The most common usage (in both everyday speech and academic discourse) refers to a practitioner in the visual arts o ...
s and
hereditary Heredity, also called inheritance or biological inheritance, is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring; either through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic inform ...
,
aristocrat The aristocracy (''from Greek'' ''ἀριστοκρατία'' ''aristokratía'', "rule of the best"; ''Latin: aristocratia'') is historically associated with a "hereditary" or a "ruling" social class. In many states, the aristocracy included the ...
s. 50 percent of new entrants (such as those holding a professorial chair at
Oxbridge Oxbridge is a portmanteau of the University of Oxford, Universities of Oxford and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, the two oldest, wealthiest, and most prestigious universities in the United Kingdom. The term is used to refer to them collect ...
, baronets, peers, MPs, judges etc.) are included automatically by virtue of their
office An office is a space where the employees of an organization perform Business administration, administrative Work (human activity), work in order to support and realize the various goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a po ...
or title; the other 50 percent are selected at the discretion of a board of advisors. Inclusion has come to carry a considerable level of prestige: Paul Levy stated in ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'' in 1996 that having an entry in ''Who's Who'' "really puts the stamp of eminence on a modern British life". Once someone is included in ''Who's Who'' they remain in it for life: MPs, for example, are not removed when they leave Parliament. The 7th Earl of Lucan continued to be listed in the book after he went missing in 1974 and even after he was declared legally dead in 1999.. He was listed in ''Who's Who 2016'', which was published in 2015. As of 2023, the most recent version of his entry on the ''Who's Who & Who Was Who'' website is dated 1 December 2016, his death certificate having been issued in 2016. Inclusion in ''Who's Who'' does not involve any payment by or to the subject, or even any obligation to buy a copy. Some individuals have attempted to offer bribes in attempts to be included. The publication includes the members of the
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( ; ) is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. It is located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of Edinburgh, and is frequently referred to by the metonym 'Holyrood'. ...
, Welsh and
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
Assemblies, members of the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
, the
chief executives A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...
of all UK cities and counties, and foreign ambassadors accredited to London. There was a high proportion of
Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
and
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
graduates among the new entrants in ''Who's Who 2008''. During the reign of
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
, the proportion of such graduates was less than 20%. In a review of ''Who's Who, 1907'', the ''Law Magazine and Review'' declared: "So comprehensive is the scheme of the work that it is well-nigh impossible to find any person at all entitled to be considered prominent in any particular sphere, whose biography is not included". ''The Expository Times'' wrote that ''Who's Who, 1910'' included "Everybody who is anybody". The ''Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects'' wrote that the choice of subjects included in ''Who's Who 1936'' was generally appropriate. Writing in ''
The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British political and cultural news magazine. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving magazine in the world. ''The Spectator'' is politically conservative, and its principal subject a ...
'' about a radio documentary on the book they prepared for ''
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...
'' in 2004, Crick and Rosenbaum criticised, or reported that others had criticised, the publication for its lack of inclusion of well known celebrities, sports personalities, solicitors, and the quasi-totality of Britain's wealthiest people. They also questioned the inclusion of all
baronets A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 1 ...
. In 2007, Jeremy Paxman criticised the publication for failing to include more non-British MEPs. In 2010, Charles Moore criticised the criticism of the inclusiveness of ''Who's Who''. In 2021, it was reported that
Michael Grade Michael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth (born 8 March 1943) is an English Media proprietor, television executive and businessman. He has held a number of senior roles in television, including controller of BBC1 (1984–1986), chief executive ...
, who was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the BBC from 2004 to 2006, had criticised ''Who's Who'' for failing to include entries for
Benedict Cumberbatch Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch (born 19 July 1976) is an English actor. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Benedict Cumberbatch, various accolades, including a BAFTA TV Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Laurenc ...
and
Eddie Redmayne Edward John David Redmayne OBE (; born 6 January 1982) is an English actor. His accolades include an Academy Award, a Tony Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and two Olivier Awards. Redmayne began his professional ac ...
. Richard Fitzwilliams, former editor of ''
The International Who's Who ''The International Who's Who'' is a Who's Who series of reference books of notable people worldwide that has been published annually since 1935. History The first edition was published in 1935 by Europa Publications. The eighth edition (1943 ...
'' quoted in ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' in 2015 indicated that
Arthur Scargill Arthur Scargill (born 11 January 1938) is a British trade unionist who was President of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) from 1982 to 2002. He is best known for leading the 1984–1985 UK miners' strike, a major event in the history o ...
and
Tony Benn Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn (3 April 1925 – 14 March 2014), known between 1960 and 1963 as Viscount Stansgate, was a British Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician and political activist who served as a Cabinet of the United Kingdom, Cabine ...
were included in ''Who's Who'' against their wishes, and that
W. S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most fam ...
was "threatened with being given a concocted version of his entry unless he provided one". Douglas Sladen published or threatened to publish non-autobiographical entries for recalcitrant figures in order to coerce them to submit their own autobiographical forms. In his autobiography, Douglas Sladen wrote: "W. S. Gilbert wrote the rudest letter of anybody. He said he was always being pestered by unimportant people for information about himself. So I put him down in the book as "Writer of Verses and the libretti to Sir Arthur Sullivan's comic operas." He then wrote me a letter ..in which he asked me if that was the way to treat a man who had written seventy original dramas. Next year he filled up his form as readily as a peer's widow who has married a commoner." In a footnote to the preceding passage from Sladen's autobiography, the historian Philip Waller said that "Sladen did not always allow accuracy to get in the way of a good story", and that the actual facts consist of the inclusion of the line "Writer of Verses and the libretti to Sir Arthur Sullivan's comic operas" in Gilbert's biography in ''Who's Who 1897'' and ''1898'', and the removal of that line from Gilbert's biography in ''Who's Who 1899'', to which no other changes were made. In his autobiography, Sladen wrote: "A prominent authoress first of all refused to fill up her form at all. I wrote to tell her that in that case I should have to fill it up for her. She showed no concern about this until I sent her a proof of the biography, in which I made her out ten years older than she really was, and said that I meant to insert the biography in that form unless there was anything she wished to correct. She then corrected it, and added so much that it would have taken the whole column if I had inserted all she sent." According to Philip Waller, this "was how Sladen behaved: if celebrities did not deliver, he invented a CV for them. It usually brought them into line." In 2004, it was reported that Scargill had argued that people who do not wish to be in ''Who's Who'' should be allowed to opt out.


Compilation and authorship

From 1897 onwards, entries have been compiled from questionnaires filled in by their subjects and then returned to the publisher. Lea and Day wrote that this approach normally leads to increased accuracy. It has been said that, from ''Who's Who 1897'' onwards, the entries, or the majority of them, are autobiographical. ''Nature Notes'' described the notices of naturalists in ''Who's Who, 1900'' as "virtually autobiographical". In A & C Black Ltd v Claude Stacey Ltd, Justice Tomlin, sitting in the
Chancery Division The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Senior Courts of England and Wales. Its name is abbreviated as EWHC (England ...
of the High Court of Justice in England, held that the "author", within the meaning of that expression in section 5 of the
Copyright Act 1911 The Copyright Act 1911 (1 & 2 Geo. 5. c. 46), also known as the Imperial Copyright Act 1911, was an Act of Parliament (UK), act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (UK) which received royal assent on 16 December 1911. The act established Copy ...
, of each biography in ''Who's Who'' was the compiler. This decision has been cited as authority as to the meaning of the expression "author" in the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (c. 48), also known as the CDPA, is an Act of Parliament, Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that received royal assent on 15 November 1988. It reformulates almost completely the statutory ba ...
.


Content

Entries typically include full names, dates of birth, career details, club memberships, education, professional qualifications, publications, recreations and contact details.


Utility

''Who's Who'' has been repeatedly described as useful and indispensable.


Reliability and accuracy

''The Saturday Review'' wrote that ''Who's Who 1904'' is "generally accurate". ''The World's Paper Trade Review'' wrote that "it may be relied on not only as being accurate but really authoritative". ''The Law Magazine and Review'' wrote that "The accuracy of the information given shows the great care with which this work has been compiled". ''The Law Journal'' wrote that the "biographical details of judges and leading members of the profession ..so far as we have tested them, are ..accurate". ''The Accountant's Magazine'' spoke of "the remarkable accuracy" of ''Who's Who, 1905''. The ''Canada Lancet'' wrote that "The book contains a vast amount of reliable information regarding persons of note throughout the British Empire". ''The Law Journal'' wrote that the "biographical details of judges and leading lawyers ..so far as we have tested them, are accurate". ''Engineering'' wrote that ''Who's Who, 1906'' gave "accurate information regarding the career of men whose names are frequently before the public in an official or other capacity". ''Notes and Queries'' wrote that "For those engaged in literary and journalistic pursuits, Who's Who remains the most trustworthy ..work of personal reference". ''The Library World'' wrote that "its accuracy is well maintained". ''The Congregationalist and Christian World'' wrote that ''Who's Who, 1907'' "comes promptly to aid journalists and others who wish to consult ..accurate biographies of the leading personages in the Western political and literary world, Britons of course predominating." ''The Standard'' called it "a monument of painstaking care". ''Page's Weekly'' wrote that "we have subjected Who's Who to several tests and are glad to find that the accuracy which pervades the subject matter is again worthy of high commendation". ''Medical Record'' wrote that "The data about Americans mentioned in the work appear to be in the main correct, though we notice that the name of the late
Albert Bierstadt Albert Bierstadt (January 7, 1830 – February 18, 1902) was a German American painter best known for his lavish, sweeping landscapes of the American West. He joined several journeys of the Westward Expansion to paint the scenes. He was no ...
, the artist, is retained in the book as though he were still living." The ''United Service Magazine'' wrote that "Immense pains are taken to ensure accuracy". ''The Dublin Journal of Medical Science'' wrote that the biographies in ''Who's Who, 1908'' "may be considered to be accurate". ''The Electrical Review'' wrote that "the details may generally be regarded as accurate". ''Page's Weekly'' added that "We have many occasions had reason to admire the accuracy which is attained by the Editor of Who's Who". ''Country Life'' wrote that ''Who's Who, 1909'' was "of most praiseworthy accuracy". ''The Scots Law Times'' wrote that "The information given about the persons named may be taken as reliable". ''The Empire Review and Magazine'' wrote "the great pains taken to ensure accuracy gives to the volume additional value". ''The American Review of Reviews'' wrote that it "continues ..to sustain its high level of accuracy". ''Knowledge & Scientific News'' wrote that ''Who's Who, 1910'' "is kept up-to-date and accurate". ''The Railway News'' wrote that "The information is brought thoroughly up to date". ''Country Life'' wrote that "This year it appears to be as accurate ..as usual." ''Page's Weekly'' wrote that "Who's Who has a notable reputation to maintain and it is not surprising to find, therefore, that exceptional care is taken to render it a reference work of unimpeachable accuracy." The accuracy of ''Who's Who, 1933'' was praised by the ''Solicitors Journal'' and by the ''Journal of State Medicine''. The accuracy of ''Who's Who, 1934'' was praised by the ''Clinical Journal'', by the ''Burlington Magazine'' and by the ''Journal of State Medicine''. The accuracy of ''Who's Who 1935'' was praised by ''Public Opinion'', by the ''Solicitors' Journal'', by the ''Irish Law Times and Solicitors' Journal'' and by the ''Clinical Journal''. The accuracy of ''Who's Who 1936'' was praised by ''Engineering''. The ''Irish Law Times and Solicitors' Journal'' also praised the accuracy of that edition, but wrote that the book included an entry for a deceased person. The accuracy of ''Who's Who 1937'' was praised by the ''Municipal Journal & Public Works Engineer''. The accuracy of ''Who's Who 1938'' was praised by the ''Journal of the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene'' and by the ''New Statesman and Nation''. The accuracy of ''Who's Who 1939'' was praised by the ''Journal of the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene''. The accuracy of ''Who's Who 1940'' was praised by the ''Journal of the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene'', and the reliability of that edition was praised by ''The Tennessee Teacher''. The accuracy of ''Who's Who 1941'' was praised by the ''Journal of the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene'', by the ''Irish Law Times and Solicitors' Journal'' and by the ''Municipal Journal & Local Government Administrator''. The accuracy of ''Who's Who, 1942'' was praised by the ''Journal of the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene'' and by ''The Accountant''. The accuracy of ''Who's Who, 1943'' was praised by the ''Medical Press and Circular''. The accuracy of certain entries in ''Who's Who, 1944'' was praised by the ''Journal of the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene''. The accuracy of ''Who's Who, 1946'' was praised by the ''Irish Law Times and Solicitors' Journal''. The accuracy of ''Who's Who, 1949'' was praised by ''Subscription Books Bulletin''. In 1957, the reliability of ''Who's Who'' was praised by Ajit Kumar Mukherjee. The accuracy and reliability of ''Who's Who 1970'' was praised by Bohdan Stephan Wynar. The accuracy of ''Who's Who 1973'' was praised by ''Reference and Subscription Books Reviews''. In 1974, the reliability of ''Who's Who'' was praised by John Richard Meredith Wilson. In 1975, the accuracy of ''Who's Who'' was praised by Carolyn Sue Peterson. The accuracy of ''Who's Who 1982'' was praised by Jefferson D Caskey. The accuracy of ''Who's Who 1985'' was praised by Jefferson D Caskey. In 1986, the reliability of ''Who's Who'' was praised by John Richard Meredith Wilson. The accuracy of the entry for Reginald William Revans in ''Who's Who 1987'' was praised by Yury Boshyk and Robert Lexow Dilworth. In 1995, the reliability of ''Who's Who'' was praised by Professor Glenda Norquay. In 2001, ''
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
'' qualified some of the entrants as "a little economical with the truth". Writing in ''
The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British political and cultural news magazine. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving magazine in the world. ''The Spectator'' is politically conservative, and its principal subject a ...
'' about a radio documentary on the book they prepared for ''
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...
'' in 2004,
Michael Crick Michael Lawrence Crick (born 21 May 1958) is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He was a founding member of the ''Channel 4 News'' team in 1982 and remained there until joining the BBC in 1990.Ian Burrell"Michael Crick: 'Cuts are hur ...
and Martin Rosenbaum wrote that there were questions about the accuracy of the entries, but that they frequently used ''Who's Who'' themselves in their work as journalists. In 2007, the reliability of ''Who's Who Online'' was praised by William Ashford Kelly. In 2014, the reliability of the ''Who's Who & Who Was Who'' website was praised by Fred Burchsted. Subjects are not permitted to include libellous statements in their entries. In 2004, the publishing director for reference books of
Bloomsbury Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London, part of the London Borough of Camden in England. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural institution, cultural, intellectual, and educational ...
, which owns A & C Black, the publisher of ''Who's Who,'' stated that if an inaccuracy was brought to the attention of the editors, they would raise it with the biographee first. If the biographee insisted or failed to respond, however, no correction would be issued. The director stated that "the vast majority of errors" are sorted by mutual agreement between ''Who's Who'' and the biographee.


Dates of birth

In 2004, Crick and Rosenbaum wrote that the largest number of errors were in dates of birth. It has been reported that entries for
Mohamed al-Fayed Mohamed Abdel Moneim Al-Fayed (; 27 January 192930 August 2023) was an Egyptian businessman whose residence and primary business interests were in the United Kingdom from the mid-1960s. His business interests included ownership of the Hôtel R ...
,Kate Watson-Smyth
150 years for the guide to who's who and what's what
The Independent. 24 March 1998.
Anita Brookner Anita Brookner (16 July 1928 – 10 March 2016) was an English novelist and art historian. She was Slade Professor of Fine Art at the University of Cambridge from 1967 to 1968 and was the first woman to hold this visiting professorship. She ...
,
Ken Dodd Sir Kenneth Arthur Dodd (8 November 1927 – 11 March 2018) was an English stand-up comedy, comedian, actor and singer. He was described as "the last great music hall entertainer" and was primarily known for his live stand-up comedy, stand-up pe ...
, Susan Hampshire, Nanette Newman, and
Nicholas Parsons Christopher Nicholas Parsons (10 October 1923 – 28 January 2020) was an English actor, straight man and radio and television presenter. He was the long-running presenter of the comedy radio show ''Just a Minute'' and hosted the game show '' S ...
have displayed incorrect dates of birth. The BBC claimed that when Brookner was asked by the editors of ''Who's Who'' whether she wanted her date of birth corrected, she asked to have it blanked instead. Errors in the dates of birth of Mohamed al-Fayed, Ken Dodd and Susan Hampshire had previously been reported by Compton Miller, editor of ''Who's Really Who'', in a book review of A & C Black's ''Who's Who 1998'', in which Compton Miller praised the entries for Mohamed al-Fayed, Ken Dodd and Susan Hampshire in his own book. It has been reported that the entry for Jimmy Wray has displayed a disputed date of birth.


Particular entries

In 2001, ''BBC News'' claimed that former MP
Jeffrey Archer Jeffrey Howard Archer, Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare (born 15 April 1940) is an English novelist and former politician. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Louth (Lincolnshire) from 1969 to 1974, but did not seek re-election after a fina ...
had listed
Brasenose College, Oxford Brasenose College (BNC) is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It began as Brasenose Hall in the 13th century, before being founded as a college in 1509. The l ...
, under the education part of his ''Who's Who'' entry, despite having no degree and having only attended a one-year postgraduate physical education course. Previously, in a 1997 letter to the editor of ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'',
Paul Flather Paul Charles Ram Flather (born 28 December 1954) is a British academic. Until 2018 he served as the Secretary-General of the Europaeum, an association of leading European universities, and is Fellow of Mansfield College, Oxford, Mansfield Colle ...
of Oxford University had written that the training course Archer had taken at Brasenose College was "not strictly a university course", and that his ''Who's Who'' entry also incorrectly listed his year of attendance. In 2004, Crick and Rosenbaum claimed that the entry for Archer had also listed an incorrect sum of money. The entry for
Iain Duncan Smith Sir George Iain Duncan Smith (born 9 April 1954), often referred to by his initials IDS, is a British politician who was Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom), Le ...
in (in particular) ''Who's Who 2002'' and ''Who's Who 2003'' claimed that he had been educated at "Univ. di Perugia". This claim did not appear in ''Who's Who 2004''. In 2002, BBC Newsnight reported that Duncan Smith had attended the Università per Stranieri di Perugia and had never attended the Università degli Studi di Perugia. The entry for James Gulliver in (in particular) ''Who's Who 1972'', ''Who's Who 1973'', ''Who's Who 1980'', ''Who's Who 1985'' and ''Who's Who 1986'', stated that he had been educated at
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
and did not mention that he had been educated at, and had received an MSc from, the
Georgia Institute of Technology The Georgia Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Georgia Tech, GT, and simply Tech or the Institute) is a public university, public research university and Institute of technology (United States), institute of technology in Atlanta, ...
in 1954.
The press ''The Press'' () is a daily newspaper published in Christchurch, New Zealand, owned by media business Stuff (company), Stuff Ltd. First published in 1861, the newspaper is the largest circulating daily in the South Island and publishes Monday t ...
repeatedly reported that Gulliver had received an
MBA A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration; elective courses may allow further study in a particular a ...
from
Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate school, graduate business school of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university. Located in Allston, Massachusetts, HBS owns Harvard Business Publishing, which p ...
. Those press reports were not correct. He had in fact done a marketing course at Harvard Business School for three weeks in 1954. On 9 March 1986, Gulliver said that his ''Who's Who'' entry was not correct in relation "to a degree achieved in 1954".City Staff. "Gulliver 'will not resign' ". The Times, 10 March 1986. p 17. The press had been informed of the error by a PR company working for an alcohol company that Gulliver's company had bid to takeover.
Paddy Ashdown Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon (27 February 194122 December 2018), better known as Paddy Ashdown, was a British politician and diplomat who served as Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 to 1999. Internation ...
said that the PR company had performed "a rather unsavoury and tawdry" character "assassination". The bald statement that Gulliver was educated at the Harvard University has been characterized as having a tendency to mislead. In 2004, Crick and Rosenbaum reported that Arthur Scargill had denied that his entry was completely accurate.


Omissions

In 2004, Crick and Rosenbaum named six people whose entries were claimed to have contained at least one omission at some point in time (excluding entries claimed to have displayed at least one error at some point in time).
Jeremy Paxman Jeremy Dickson Paxman (born 11 May 1950) is an English former broadcaster, journalist and author, born in Yorkshire. Born in Leeds, Paxman was educated at Malvern College and St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he edited the undergraduate ...
has calculated that only 8% of new entrants in 2008 made any reference to marital breakdown, which is far below the national average. The non-autobiographical entry for W. S. Gilbert in ''Who's Who 1897'' and ''Who's Who 1898'' did not include the fact that Gilbert had written seventy original dramas.


Lists and tables

The original nucleus of ''Who's Who'' consisted of tables. In a review of ''Who's Who 1903'', the ''Surveyor and Municipal and County Engineer'' wrote "From time to time it has been found necessary to remove some useful tables inserted in the front of the book, in order to make room for the biographies, and now the portentous increase of the latter has led to the complete removal of the tables, with the exception, of course, of those devoted to the Royal Family and to obituaries. The publishers hope ..to issue the various tables separately ..at a later date." The tables were moved into the '' Who's Who Year Book'' from the first edition of that year book, the ''Who's Who Year Book, 1904'', onwards.


''Who Was Who''

When the subject of a ''Who's Who'' entry dies, the biography is transferred to the next volume of ''Who Was Who'', where it is usually printed as it appeared in its last ''Who's Who'', with the date of death added. The first volume of ''Who Was Who'' covered deaths between 1897 and 1915. They were then published at 10-year intervals, and since 1990 at five-year intervals. ''Who Was Who'' series: # 1897–1915, 1988 reprint: # 1916–1928, 1992 reprint: # 1929–1940, 1967 reprint: # 1941–1950, 1980 reprint: # 1951–1960, 1984 reprint: # 1961–1970, 1979 reprint: # 1971–1980, 1989 reprint: # 1981–1990: 1991 # 1991–1995: 1996 # 1996–2000: 2001 # 2001–2005: 2006 # 2006–2010: 2011 # 2011–2015: 2016 Corrections Errors contained in ''Who's Who'' entries are corrected in ''Who Was Who'' "where necessary" (the deceased subjects cannot object to corrections because they are deceased).Melanie Cable-Alexander. "The what's what of Who's Who" in "Perspectives". The Financial Times. 19 May 1990. Section II: Weekend FT (Weekend May 19/May 20). p viii. [This newspaper article contains the following passage: But even if the living are allowed to edit their lives, the real story can eventually be found behind the entries in ''Who Was Who'' . . . In this volume, white lies are laid low and the truth is made whole again, because at that stage "they won't know a thing about it."] Cumulated index There is a cumulative index, titled "cumulated index": *''Who Was Who, A Cumulated Index 1897 to 1980''. Published 1981. Cox said this index is useful. *''Who Was Who: A Cumulated Index 1897–1990''. Published 1991. *''Who Was Who: A Cumulated Index 1897—2000''. Published 2002.


See also

*
List of biographical dictionaries This is an incomplete list of Biographical dictionary, biographical dictionaries. International * ''A Biographical Dictionary of Railway Engineers'' * ''Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890'' * Emmanuel K. Akyeampong, Akyeamp ...


References


Further reading

*Ballou. Reference Books. PACAF Library Service Center. (Fifth Air Force, Pacific Air Forces). 1 September 1968. p
178
& 179. *. * . * . *"What's What of Who's Who". Western Mail. 15 December 2001. . *Gary Archer, "Review of Who's Who Online 2013 edition" (2013) 29 Refer 3 (No 1, Spring 2013) *Malcolm Gladwell. "Nice to meet you. But what on earth are you doing here?" in "Books" in "The week in Reviews". The Observer. 11 January 1998. *Richard Ingrams, "Who's odd" (1983) The Spectator, 2 April 1983, p 16 eview of ''Who's Who 1983''*Alan Watkins, "Who he?" (1979) The Spectator, 12 May 1979, p 22 eview of ''Who's Who 1979''*"The Longest Novel" (1970) Punch 731 (13 May 1970) eview of ''Who's Who 1970''*"Curious Facts about Famous People" (1963) Time and Tide 26 (21 to 27 March 1963) eview of ''Who's Who 1963''* * * * * * * *(1903) 19 Law Quarterly Review 109 *(1903) 37 Law Journal 611 *"Current Literature", The Spectator, 4 February 1865, p 20


External links

* {{Official website Publications established in 1849 British biographical dictionaries Online person databases Series of non-fiction books A & C Black books 1849 establishments in the United Kingdom