Jane Humphries|Timothy Leunig
Was Dick Whittington taller than those he left behind? Anthropometric measures, migration and the quality of life in early nineteenth century London?
University of Oxford|Economic History Society|University of Oxford|Economic History Society
using new source evidence explore mobility midnineteenth century seamen among seamen born outside london tall literate could remember exact day month year born characteristics suggest mark men choices life likely migrate london contrary might inferred contemporary descriptions urban disamenities persistent differentials mortality london appears desirable destination could choose conclusion must london bad adjust perception problems urbanisation accordingly implications wider debate standard living industrial revolution papers methodological interest use height explanatory variable analysis migration although correlated variables routinely used anthropometric studies indicate life chances literacy ability know recall date birth height empirical advantages alternatives exhibits higher levels significance moreover literacy heaping essence binary variables height near continuous one one allows us test linear nonlinear responses interesting results paper perhaps fruitful use height historical analyses may turn explanatory variable least research strategy provides anthropometric historians opportunities