William samuel porter biography
Lindsey and samuel porter.
Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Porter, George Richardson
PORTER, GEORGE RICHARDSON (1792–1852), statistician, the son of a London merchant, was born in London in 1792.
Failing in business as a sugar-broker, he devoted himself to economics and statistics, and in 1831 contributed an essay on life assurance to Charles Knight's ‘Companion to the Almanac.’ When, in 1832, Knight declined Lord Auckland's invitation to digest for the board of trade the information contained in the parliamentary reports and papers, he recommended Porter for the task.
William samuel porter biography
Porter now had scope for the exercise of his powers as a statistician, and in 1834 the statistical department of the board of trade was permanently established under his supervision. In 1840 he was appointed senior member of the railway department of the same board, and in 1841 Lord Clarendon obtained for him the position of joint secretary of the board in succession to John MacGregor [q.
v.] Porter's remuneration was at