From Blackheath he went to King's College, London University from 1865-1867. Here
he studied mathematics, mechanics, chemistry, geology, mineralogy, manufacturing and
geometrical drawing.
Dalton the Geologist
An uncle paid the two guinea fee for Dalton to sit the open examination for candidates
to the Geological Survey. One of the exam questions was "Describe the geology of your
native county". This he had at his fingertips and he passed the interview and was appointed
to the Geological Survey on 31st July 1867 as an Assistant Geologist. He went to Yorkshire
and worked with J. R. Dakyns. Dalton lived the life of a nomad while geologically
surveying. For example in 1871 he was enumerated on the census at 17 Regent Street,
Barnsley with his wife and baby daughter together with his sister Emily and one domestic
servant ( RG 10/4644 folio 123 obv. Page 15 schedule 76). Ten years later in 1881 he
was at Backficld, Clarboro, East Retford with his wife and sister (RG 11/3300 folio 68
obv. Page 17). His daughter recollected that he rarely spent more than a year in any
town. He spent much time in East Anglia - at Framlingham, Saxmundham, Beccles and
Hunstanton interspersed with family visits to Scotland and Foulness. This is reflected in
his Geological Survey publications (1878-1888) listed in table 1 below.
Table 1 Geological Survey Memoirs & Maps by W.H. Dalton
Date________________________Title________________________________Reference__________
1878 Geology of the Yorkshire Coalfield (with others) Memoir of the Geological
_________________________________________________________Survey 823p_________________
1878 Geology of part of N.W. Essex with parts of Memoir of the Geological
Cambridgeshire and Suffolk and N.E. part of Herts (with Survey 92p
_________others)_____________________________________________________________________
1879 Geology of the Country between Bradford and Skipton Memoir of the Geological
_________(with J.R. Dakyns)_________________________________Survey 20p__________________
1880 Geology of the Neighbourhood of Colchester (with Memoir of the Geological
_______ others)___________________________________________Survey 24p__________________
1881 Sheet 47: Braintree, Coggeshall, Dunmow, Halstead, 1" Map Geological Survey
_________Saffron Walden, Thaxted, Witham (Solid)_________________________________________
1882 Sheet 48 N.W: Manningtree__________________________1" Map Geological Survey______
1882 Sheet 126: Section from River Chelmer, by Felsted, Geological Survey
_________Radwinter__________________________________________________________________
1883 Sheet 48 S.W: Colchester 1" Map Geological Survey
1884 Sheet 47: Braintree, Coggeshall, Dunmow, Halstead, 1" Map Geological Survey
_________Saffron Walden, Thaxted, Witham (Drift)__________________________________________
1885 Geology of S.W. Lincolnshire with part of Leicestershire Memoir of the Geological
_________and Nottinghamshire (with others)_____________________Survey 180p_________________
1885 Geology of Ipswich, Hadleigh and Felixstowe (with Memoir of the Geological
_________others)___________________________________________Survey 156p_________________
1886 Geology of Aldborough, Framlingham, Orford and Memoir of the Geological
_________Woodbridge______________________________________Survey 59p__________________
1887 Geology of the Country around Halesworth and Memoir of the Geological
_________Harleston (with W. Whitaker)________________________Survey 4lp__________________
1888 Geology of the Country around Lincoln Memoir of the Geological
_________________________________________________________Survey 218p_________________
16
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 51, September 2006