William Farr (1807–83)

Statistician and epidemiologist. Studied medicine in Shrewsbury, Paris, and London. Worked as a medical practitioner, public lecturer, and medical journalist in London from 1833. Worked for the General Register Office from 1837, from 1839 as compiler of abstracts; superintendent of the Statistical Department, 1842–80. From the mid-1850s to the mid-1860s, worked closely with Florence Nightingale on hospital and army sanitary reform. FRS 1855.