James Pitman

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Sir (Isaac) James Pitman, KBE (14 August 1901- 1 September 1985) was a British civil servant, publisher, politician and spelling reformer.

Pitman was the grandson of Sir Isaac Pitman, who developed the most widely used system of shorthand, known now as Pitman Shorthand. James Pitman was to become chairman and joint managing director of the Pitman Press and Pitman Publishing.

Pitman was educated at Summerfields, Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford. He excelled in athletics, gained his 'blue' at Oxford University in rugby union which he also played for England against Scotland, and won the Public Schools middleweight boxing championship of 1919. He served as a Director of the Bank of England until its nationalisation and was Director of Organization and Methods at HM Treasury 1943-5.

At the 1945 general election, Pitman was elected as Conservative Member of Parliament (MP)for Bath. In the House of Commons, he championed spelling reform, working with the Labour MP, Mont Follick, to promoted the case of the Simplified Spelling Society. Pitman is best-known as the inventor of the Initial Teaching Alphabet. He wrote several books on the teaching of English.

Pitman retired from Parliament in 1964. He continued to serve on several company boards. He also served as Chairman of the Management Committee of the University of London Institute of Education. He was Pro-Chancellor of the University of Bath 1972-81 and ensured that the Pitman papers would reside with the University.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by: Thomas Loel Evelyn Bulkeley Guinness	Member of Parliament for Bath 1945–1964	Succeeded by: Sir Edward Brown