William Arthur Shaw

William Arthur Shaw (1865–1943) was an English historian and archivist.

Life Born on 19 April 1865, in Hooley Hill, Ashton-under-Lyne, now in Greater Manchester, he was the son of James Shaw and his wife Sarah Ann Hampshire. He graduated B.A. at Owens College in 1883. although P.G.M. Dickson considered that "Shaw's views were curiously vehement and often based on inaccurate data, and must be treated with caution."

In particular, Shaw's summary tables of revenue and expenditure have been found to be incorrect, failing to take into account some of the intricate accounting devices of the time, leading him to incorrect conclusions.

Shaw also wrote a substantial number of entries for the Dictionary of National Biography.

Works

5 vols, covering 1729–1745. 32 vols, covering 1660–1718. Volumes 20 et seq published posthumously. 3 vols: vol 1; vol 2, vol 3 1 vol 2 vols: vol 1; vol 2 2 vols: vol 1; vol 2