Historical Statistics and British Economic History : The British Historical Statistics Project (BHSP)

The project now underway to produce a new, multi-volume print and online edition of Mitchell’s celebrated British Historical Statistics (BHS) is an opportunity to examine the history of BHS. An account of its conception, reception and evolution provides a window through which to examine a central aspect of economic history’s disciplinary history and methodenstreit; certain fundamentals relating to the demand for, and supply of, historical statistics; and to introduce the British Historical Statistics Project (BHSP) which is now underway but still in its infancy, during which it is closely examining its antecedents in order to learn the correct lessons from that history