**Hugh Chisholm** (/ˈtʃɪzəm/ *CHIZ\-əm*; 22 February 1866 – 29 September 1924) was a British journalist. He was the editor of the 10th, 11th and 12th editions of the *[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]*.

## Life

He was born in [[London]], England, a son of Henry Williams Chisholm (1809–1901), [[Warden of the Standards]] at the [[Board of Trade]], and his wife Anna Louisa Bell; the mathematician [[Grace Chisholm]] was his sister. He was educated at [[Felsted School]] and matriculated at [[Corpus Christi College, Oxford]], in 1884, graduating in 1888 with a first class in *[[Literae humaniores|literae humaniores]]*. He was [[Called to the bar|called to the bar]] at the [[Middle Temple]] in 1892.[^1][^2]

Chisholm worked for *[[The St James's Gazette]]* as assistant editor from 1892 and was appointed editor in 1897. During these years, he also contributed numerous articles on political, financial and literary subjects to the weekly journals and monthly reviews, becoming well known as a literary critic and conservative publicist. He moved in 1899 to *[[London Evening Standard|The Standard]]* as chief leader-writer and moved in 1900 to *[[The Times]]*, to act as co-editor with [[Donald Mackenzie Wallace|Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace]] and President [[Arthur Twining Hadley]] of [[Yale University]] on preparation of the eleven volumes forming the 10th edition of the *Encyclopædia Britannica*. In 1903, he became editor-in-chief for the [[Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition|11th edition]], which was completed under his direction in 1910, and published as a whole by the [[Cambridge University Press]], in 29 volumes, in 1911. He subsequently planned and edited the *Britannica Year-Book* (1913).[^3]

Chisholm had been suggested as replacement as editor of *[[The Times]]* as an alternative to [[Geoffrey Dawson]]. [[Lord Northcliffe]], owner of *The Times* from 1909, promised him the post in 1911, but did not act on the promise, and Dawson continued to 1919.[^1]

In 1913, following his return from America overseeing the printing of *The Britannica Year-Book*, Chisholm was appointed day editor of *The Times*.[^3] His role included that of [[Leader writer|leader writer]]; but eventually he fell out with Northcliffe.[^1] In August 1913, he was appointed a director of the company. He was financial editor throughout [[World War I]], resigning in 1920 when he embarked on the editorship of the three volumes forming the 12th edition of *Encyclopædia Britannica*, published in 1922.[^3]

## Family

In 1893, Chisholm married Eliza Beatrix Harrison, daughter of [[Henry Harrison (Irish politician)|Henry Harrison]] of [[County Down]]. Together they had three sons.[^1] Their son [[Archibald Chisholm]] played a key role in the development of the oil industry in [[Kuwait]] and was editor of the *[[Financial Times]]* from 1937 to 1940.[^4]

## Sources

-   *The Times*, 30 September 1924, p 14, Issue 43770, Col d. Obituary of Chisholm.
-   [[Janet E. Courtney]]: *An Oxford Portrait Gallery*, (London) 1931, pp 167–157. Janet Courtney, née Hogarth, worked for *The Times* Book Club and was later responsible for the arrangement of the Index volume to the 11th and 12th editions of *[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]*.
-   Anon, *History of "The Times"*, Vol 3, 1884–1912 (1939), pp 121, 519, 755, 829
-   *Ibid*, Vol 4, 1912–1920 (1947), pp 143, 137, 138, 208, 472
-   *[[Dictionary of National Biography]]*, article "Hugh Chisholm"

## Notes

[^1]: [[Nigel Hamilton (author)|Hamilton, N.]] "Chisholm, Hugh (1866–1924)". *[[Dictionary of National Biography|Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]]* (online ed.). Oxford University Press. [[Doi (identifier)|doi]]:[10.1093/ref:odnb/32404](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fref%3Aodnb%2F32404). (Subscription, [Wikipedia Library](https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/partners/88/) access or [UK public library membership](https://www.oxforddnb.com/help/subscribe#public) required.)
[^2]: [[Joseph Foster (genealogist)|Foster, Joseph]] (1888–1891). ["Chisholm, Hugh"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Alumni_Oxonienses:_the_Members_of_the_University_of_Oxford,_1715-1886/Chisholm,_Hugh) . *Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715–1886*. Oxford: James Parker – via [[Wikisource]].
[^3]: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1922). ["Chisholm, Hugh"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1922_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Chisholm,_Hugh) . *[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]*. Vol. 30 (12th ed.). London & New York: The Encyclopædia Britannica Company. p. 669.
[^4]: ["Archibald Chisholm"](https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/IF0503348463/TTDA?u=wes_ttda&sid=bookmark-TTDA&xid=12d3ec21). *[[The Times]]*. No. 64507. 4 December 1992. p. 21. Retrieved 21 June 2021.