David George Kendall
Encyclopedia
David George Kendall FRS (15 January 1918 – 23 October 2007) was an English
statistician
, who spent much of his academic life in the University of Oxford
and the University of Cambridge
. He worked with M. S. Bartlett
during the war, and visited Princeton University
after the war.
Kendall was born in Ripon
, North Riding of Yorkshire
, and attended Ripon Grammar School
before attending Queen's College, Oxford, graduating in 1939. He worked on rocket
ry during the war, before moving to Magdalen College
, Oxford
in 1946. He was appointed the first Professor of Mathematical Statistics
in the Statistical Laboratory, University of Cambridge in 1962, in which post he remained until his retirement in 1985. He was elected to a professorial fellowship at Churchill College
, and he was a founding trustee of the Rollo Davidson Trust.
Kendall was a world expert in probability
and data analysis, and pioneered statistical shape analysis
including the study of ley lines. He defined Kendall's notation
for queueing theory
.
The Royal Statistical Society
awarded him the Guy Medal
in Silver in 1955, followed in 1981 by the Guy Medal in Gold. In 1980 the London Mathematical Society
awarded Kendall their Senior Whitehead Prize
, and in 1989 their De Morgan Medal
. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society
in 1964.
He was to married Diana Fletcher from 1952 until his death. They had two sons and four daughters, including Wilfrid Kendall, professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of Warwick
and reporter Bridget Kendall
MBE
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
statistician
Statistician
A statistician is someone who works with theoretical or applied statistics. The profession exists in both the private and public sectors. The core of that work is to measure, interpret, and describe the world and human activity patterns within it...
, who spent much of his academic life in the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. He worked with M. S. Bartlett
M. S. Bartlett
Maurice Stevenson Bartlett FRS was an English statistician who made particular contributions to the analysis of data with spatial and temporal patterns...
during the war, and visited Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
after the war.
Kendall was born in Ripon
Ripon
Ripon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
, North Riding of Yorkshire
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
, and attended Ripon Grammar School
Ripon Grammar School
Ripon Grammar School is a co-educational, selective, state secondary grammar school and specialist engineering college located in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England...
before attending Queen's College, Oxford, graduating in 1939. He worked on rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
ry during the war, before moving to Magdalen College
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, Oxford
in 1946. He was appointed the first Professor of Mathematical Statistics
Professorship of Mathematical Statistics, University of Cambridge
The Professorship of Mathematical Statistics at the University of Cambridge was established in 1961 with the support of the Royal Statistical Society and the aid of donations from various companies and banks. It was the first professorship in the Statistical Laboratory, and the first in Cambridge...
in the Statistical Laboratory, University of Cambridge in 1962, in which post he remained until his retirement in 1985. He was elected to a professorial fellowship at Churchill College
Churchill College, Cambridge
Churchill College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.In 1958, a Trust was established with Sir Winston Churchill as its Chairman of Trustees, to build and endow a college for 60 fellows and 540 Students as a national and Commonwealth memorial to Winston Churchill; its...
, and he was a founding trustee of the Rollo Davidson Trust.
Kendall was a world expert in probability
Probability
Probability is ordinarily used to describe an attitude of mind towards some proposition of whose truth we arenot certain. The proposition of interest is usually of the form "Will a specific event occur?" The attitude of mind is of the form "How certain are we that the event will occur?" The...
and data analysis, and pioneered statistical shape analysis
Statistical shape analysis
Statistical shape analysis is a geometrical analysis from a set of shapes in which statistics are measured to describe geometrical properties from similar shapes or different groups, for instance, the difference between male and female Gorilla skull shapes, normal and pathological bone shapes, etc...
including the study of ley lines. He defined Kendall's notation
Kendall's notation
In queueing theory, Kendall's notation is the standard system used to describe and classify the queueing model that a queueing system corresponds to. First suggested by D. G...
for queueing theory
Queueing theory
Queueing theory is the mathematical study of waiting lines, or queues. The theory enables mathematical analysis of several related processes, including arriving at the queue, waiting in the queue , and being served at the front of the queue...
.
The Royal Statistical Society
Royal Statistical Society
The Royal Statistical Society is a learned society for statistics and a professional body for statisticians in the UK.-History:It was founded in 1834 as the Statistical Society of London , though a perhaps unrelated London Statistical Society was in existence at least as early as 1824...
awarded him the Guy Medal
Guy Medal
The Guy Medals are awarded by the Royal Statistical Society in three categories; Gold, Silver and Bronze. The Gold Medal is awarded triennially, the other two are awarded annually...
in Silver in 1955, followed in 1981 by the Guy Medal in Gold. In 1980 the London Mathematical Society
London Mathematical Society
-See also:* American Mathematical Society* Edinburgh Mathematical Society* European Mathematical Society* List of Mathematical Societies* Council for the Mathematical Sciences* BCS-FACS Specialist Group-External links:* * *...
awarded Kendall their Senior Whitehead Prize
Senior Whitehead Prize
The Senior Whitehead Prize of the London Mathematical Society is currently awarded in odd numbered years in memory of John Henry Constantine Whitehead, president of the LMS between 1953 and 1955. The Prize is awarded to mathematicians normally resident in the United Kingdom on 1 January of the...
, and in 1989 their De Morgan Medal
De Morgan Medal
The De Morgan Medal is a prize for outstanding contribution to mathematics, awarded by the London Mathematical Society. The Society's most prestigious award, it is given in memory of Augustus De Morgan, who was the first President of the society....
. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1964.
He was to married Diana Fletcher from 1952 until his death. They had two sons and four daughters, including Wilfrid Kendall, professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
and reporter Bridget Kendall
Bridget Kendall
Bridget Kendall MBE is an English radio and television correspondent.-Early life:Kendall is a daughter of statistician David George Kendall and Diana...
MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
.