John Biddulph Martin Explained

John Biddulph Martin (10 June 1841 – 20 March 1897) was an English banker and statistician.

Early life

Martin was born on the 10th of June 1841, in Eaton Square, London, the second son of Robert Martin, of Overbury Court, Tewkesbury. He was educated at Harrow School, matriculating at Exeter College, Oxford in 1860, and graduating B.A. there in 1862, M.A. in 1867.^{[1] [2]}

Banking career

Martin was a partner in the family business of Martins Bank from 1864.^{[3] [2] [4]}

Publications

Martin's major work was "The Grasshopper" in Lombard Street, a history of Martins Bank. The bank was at one time the property of Sir Thomas Gresham, whose crest, the Grasshopper, the name commemorates.^[3]

His paper "Our Gold Coinage", 1882, helped enable the late 19th century reform of the gold currency. It was a statistical inquiry into its condition at the time, showing the depreciation of the coinage from 1817, the date when UK gold coinage was resumed after the Napoleonic Wars. It appeared in the Journal of the Bankers' Institute: to which, as well as to the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, he was a frequent contributor. He was President of the Royal Statistical Society at the time of his death. His article on "The Evolution of our Banking System" in the Economic Journal for 1891 was noted for its insights.^[3]

Sportsman

Martin played football for Wanderers F.C. between 1865 and 1870.^[5] He played for "London" in the historic London v Sheffield football match of 1866, scoring a goal and a touch down.^{[6] [7]} At the time of his death, he was president of the London Athletic Club.^[2]

Family

Martin's elder brother, Richard B. Martin, was a Member of Parliament for Droitwich from 1892 to 1906.^[1] In 1883, Martin married American suffragist Victoria Woodhull.

Death

Martin died of pneumonia on 20 March 1897, at Las Palmas, Canary Islands.^[1] He was survived by his wife Victoria.

Works

• The Elections of 1868 and 1874 . John Biddulph . Martin . Journal of the Statistical Society of London . 1874-06-01 . 37 . 2 . 193–230 . 10.2307/2338721 . 2338721 .
• Pelasgic Mykenæ . n.a. [John Biddulph Martin] . Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine . December 1877 . 672–683 . cxxii . dccxlvi.
• On Some Effects of a Crisis on the Banking Interest . John Biddulph . Martin . Journal of the Statistical Society of London . 1879-09-01 . 42 . 3 . 663–708 . 10.2307/2339053 . 2339053 .
• An Inquiry into the History, Functions, and Fluctuation of the Bank-Note Circulation in the United Kingdom, Continental Europe and the United States . John Biddulph . Martin . Journal of the Institute of Bankers . March 1880 . 1 . 273–336 . 2027/mdp.39015067147408?urlappend=%3Bseq=313 .
• Our Gold Coinage: an Inquiry into its Present Defective Condition, with a View to its Reform . John Biddulph . Martin . Journal of the Institute of Bankers . June 1882 . 3 . 4 . 297–346 . 2027/mdp.39015067154164?urlappend=%3Bseq=389 .
• Electoral Statistics: A Review of the Working of our Representative System from 1832–1881, in view of Prospective Changes Therein . John Biddulph . Martin . Journal of the Statistical Society of London . 1884-03-01 . 47 . 1 . 75–124 . 10.2307/2979212 . 2979212 .
• Seigneuriage and Mint Charges . Martin . John Biddulph . Journal of the Institute of Bankers . 1884-04-01 . 5. 4 . 171–186 . 2027/mdp.39015067154180?urlappend=%3Bseq=213 .
• Media of Exchange: Being Some Notes on the Precious Metals and Their Equivalents . John Biddulph . Martin . Journal of the Statistical Society of London . 1884-09-01 . 47 . 3 . 485–495 . 10.2307/2979251 . 2979251 .
• Book: Martin, John Biddulph . 1884 . The Future of the United States . London . Blades, East and Blades . 2027/nyp.33433089566735?urlappend=%3Bseq=3 . 1063210825.
• "Economic Science and Statistics." The Address of the President of Section F of the British Association, at the Fifty-Sixth Meeting, Held at Birmingham, in September, 1886 . John Biddulph . Martin . Journal of the Statistical Society of London . 1886-12-01 . 49 . 4 . 736–754 . 10.2307/2979166 . 2979166 .
• Hospital Sunday Fund . John Biddulph . Martin . The British Medical Journal . 1887-06-25 . 1 . 1381 . 1349 . 20212090 .
• Notes on Some Recorded Movements of Coin and Its Equivalent During Recent Years . John Biddulph . Martin . Journal of the Institute of Bankers . April 1888 . ix . iv . 1–27 . 2027/uc1.b3011248?urlappend=%3Bseq=227 .
• The Evolution of our Banking System. John Biddulph . Martin . The Economic Journal . 1891-09-01 . 1 . 3 . 539–544 . 10.2307/2956120 . 2956120 .
• Book: Martin, John Biddulph . "The Grasshopper" in Lombard Street . 1892 . Leadenhall Press . London . 1184168199. ^[8]
• On Some Developments of Statistical Research and Methods During Recent Years. The Inaugural Address of John Biddulph Martin, Esq., M.A., President of the Royal Statistical Society. Session 1896–97. Delivered 17th November, 1896 . John Biddulph . Martin . Journal of the Royal Statistical Society . 1896-12-01 . 59 . 4 . 579–628 . 10.2307/2979899 . 2979899 .

Notes and References

1. Bulletin de l'Institut International de Statistique . 155–157 . John Biddulph Martin M.A. . Rawson W. . Rawson . x . 2 . 1897 . Rome . Imprimerie Nationale. 2027/osu.32435063002018?urlappend=%3Bseq=1003 .
2. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society . 1897-06-01 . 60 . 2 . 434 . Mr John Biddulph Martin, M.A. . 2979802 .
3. Book: Palgrave, Robert Harry Inglis . Dictionary of Political Economy . 753–754 . Macmillan and Co. . London . 1910.
4. The "Grasshopper" in Lombard Street, p. 275
5. Book: Cavallini, Rob . 91 . The Wanderers – Five Times F.A. Cup Winners . 2005 . Dog N Duck Publications . Worcester Park, Surrey . 9780955049606.
6. Sheffield v. London . Supplement to the Sporting Life . 1866-04-07 . 2 .
7. Book: History of the Football Association . Naldrett Press . 1953 . London . n.a. [Geoffrey Green] . 42.
8. Review of 'The Grasshopper' in Lombard Street by John Biddulph Martin. The Investors' Review. I. 1892. 321–322.