On behalf of the Department of Economics and many colleagues and friends at the School, Happy Birthday to Basil Yamey, who is turning 100 on 4 May. Basil was a member of the Department’s academic staff from 1947 until his retirement in 1984, with a one year hiatus at McGill. He has been convenor of the Department, editor of the journal Economica, and the head of the Trade and Industry group. Basil’s academic work spans topics from industrial economics, monopoly and competition, and developing countries, to futures trading and the history of accounting. Those who knew him describe Basil as a beloved colleague, mentor and friend, full of kindness and humour, always open in welcoming new colleagues and students, and generously sharing his expertise and experience.
Happy Birthday, Basil.
Jörn-Steffen Pischke
Head of Department
April 2019
Tributes
In celebration of Basil's birthday, colleagues and friends, Richard Jackman, Richard Layard, David Metcalf, Steve Nickell, Christopher Pissarides and John Sutton, share their memories of Basil in these tributes:
I have not forgotten the first time I met Basil Yamey, even though it is now over 50 years ago, in March 1968. It was my first visit to ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and I was to be interviewed to be an Assistant Lecturer in Economics. Basil was the Chair of the Interview Board...Continue reading.
In 1968 Basil was the Convenor when I joined the Department. He was incredibly welcoming and then, as ever since, the department was a remarkably harmonious community...Continue reading.
Basil, half a century has gone by since you kindly asked me to teach the undergraduate classes to complement your lectures in Industrial Economics. I also taught classes to accompany Henry Phelps Brown’s lectures in Labour Economics. This grounding provided a wonderful entry into applied microeconomics...Continue reading.
I joined the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Economics Department in 1970 and was there for fourteen years. As it happened, these were the last fourteen years of Basil Yamey's long membership of the department...Continue reading.
I was a graduate student at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ in 1971-73, when Basil was already a senior professor in the department, but I had no contact with him at all because of our diverse areas of interest. Two years later I made the transition to the other side, joining my teachers as their colleague...Continue reading.
In the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Economics Department in the 1970s, Basil was loved and respected in equal measure. His happy combination of penetrating intelligence and academic accomplishment along with his gentle manner and wry sense of humour endeared him to all...Continue reading.
In memory of Basil Selig Yamey (1919-2020)
Basil passed away in November 2020. The Economics Community at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ shares the sadness with his family and many friends. You can read on ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳'s condolences page.