John Neale Dalton
Encyclopedia
Canon John Neale Dalton KCVO
CMG
(24 September 1839 Margate, Kent
– 28 July 1931) was a chaplain to Queen Victoria
and tutor to King George V of the United Kingdom
.
before matriculating to Clare College, Cambridge
in 1858. Dalton was an extremely able student and achieved his BA (1st class) in 1863, and his MA in 1866; also winning the Schofield Prize during his studies in 1864.
Dalton was appointed curate to Canon George Prothero in the parish of Whippingham on the Isle of Wight in 1869. The church was attended by the royal family when staying at their summer home, Osborne
, on the island. Queen Victoria came to know Dalton, and chose him to become tutor to her grandsons, the royal princes George Frederick
and his elder brother, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence
. The children were then 6 and 7, and Victoria considered her son, the then prince of Wales Albert Edward
, had been neglecting their education. Dalton moved to Windsor castle and continued as their tutor through the next fourteen years.
The younger prince, George, proved the more able and willing to learn. His brother and presumed eventual heir to the throne, Albert Victor, called "Eddy" by the family, was considered backward, lazy and obtuse. It was considered that although George was expected to follow a career in the navy, it would be unwise to separate him from his brother as he was considered a good influence upon him. Accordingly, both boys joined the cadet training ship HMS Brittania
in September 1877. Dalton accompanied the boys, sharing a cabin with them while continuing to act as their guardian, and acted as chaplain to the ship. Despite Dalton's presence, the princes (Eddy nicknamed 'Herring' and George 'Sprat') were bullied by other cadets keen to have a go at accessible royalty. One cadet, Hugh Thomas
was approved of by Dalton and began a friendship with the princes which continued for some years.
In 1879 training on Britannia came to end. It was again proposed that Eddy should attend a public school, but Dalton recommended the brothers should remain together. Instead it was arranged that both princes and Dalton should sail on HMS Bacchante
with a crew carefully selected to be a good influence on the boys. The captain, Lord Charles Scott, was a son of the Duke of Buccleuch, while his nephew the future 7th Duke was part of the crew. Other crew were also chosen for their royal connections, as in the case of Hugh Evan-Thomas (surname now officially changed by his father) who was posted to the same watch as the princes. Dalton saw it as his responsibility, despite royal instructions that the princes should be treated 'just like other ordinary midshipmen', to restrict their contact with other members of the crew, shifting away anyone who became too friendly.
The tour ended in August 1882, when Dalton and his charges returned with the ship to England. He took with him numerous mementoes of the tour, including the sailor who had been assigned as his servant during the voyage, who continued to work for him ashore for the next 50 years. He also obtained an introduction to Evan-Thomas' sister Catherine, who shortly afterwards agreed to marry him despite being considerably younger.
Prince George returned to the navy, but Eddy remained a low achiever and continued a further year intensive tutoring with Dalton in preparation for attending Cambridge university. Dalton married Catherine on 16 January 1886 and their first son Edward Hugh John Neale Dalton
was born at home in Glamorgan, August 1887. Hugh Evan-Thomas and prince Edward were his godparents. Their second child, Alexandra Mary, was born 1891, but in accord with Dalton's wish to have had a second son who he could have named after prince George, was nicknamed 'Georgie'.
In 1892 Prince George briefly assumed command of HMS Melampus
during her commissioning and trials. Dalton was invited onboard as George's guest.
Dalton became Curate
of Sandringham
and a Canon of St. George's Chapel, Windsor
. He was also Chaplain-in-ordinary and Deputy Clerk of the Closet to Queen Victoria and then Edward VII, Chaplain to Prince George as Duke of York and Prince of Wales.
He was invested as a Companion, Order of St Michael and St George
(CMG) in 1881 and Knight Commander, Royal Victorian Order
(KCVO) in 1911.
In 1920 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws (LLD) by the University of Leeds
.
and liturgical
scholar. He published various books including:
; their son was Hugh Dalton
, later a prominent politician.
Daltons brothers were:
Dalton was godfather
to the surgeon
Sir Alfred Downing Fripp
.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(24 September 1839 Margate, Kent
Margate
-Demography:As of the 2001 UK census, Margate had a population of 40,386.The ethnicity of the town was 97.1% white, 1.0% mixed race, 0.5% black, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% Chinese or other ethnicity....
– 28 July 1931) was a chaplain to Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
and tutor to King George V of the United Kingdom
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
.
Life history
Dalton was the son of Reverend John Neale Dalton and Elisa Maria Allies. He attended Blackheath Proprietary SchoolBlackheath Proprietary School
The Blackheath Proprietary School was an educational establishment founded in 1830 that was noted in the contemporary press as an extremely successful school in terms of its education but is perhaps most notable for its profound influence on the game of football, in both Association and Rugby codes...
before matriculating to Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
in 1858. Dalton was an extremely able student and achieved his BA (1st class) in 1863, and his MA in 1866; also winning the Schofield Prize during his studies in 1864.
Dalton was appointed curate to Canon George Prothero in the parish of Whippingham on the Isle of Wight in 1869. The church was attended by the royal family when staying at their summer home, Osborne
Osborne
- Places :Australia* Osborne, South Australia, an industrial suburb of Adelaide in South Australia* Osborne, New South Wales, a rural community in the Riverina regionCanada* Osborne Village, a neighbourhood in Winnipeg...
, on the island. Queen Victoria came to know Dalton, and chose him to become tutor to her grandsons, the royal princes George Frederick
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
and his elder brother, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence
Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence
Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale was a member of the British Royal Family. He was the eldest son of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales and Alexandra, Princess of Wales , and the grandson of the reigning monarch, Queen Victoria...
. The children were then 6 and 7, and Victoria considered her son, the then prince of Wales Albert Edward
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, had been neglecting their education. Dalton moved to Windsor castle and continued as their tutor through the next fourteen years.
The younger prince, George, proved the more able and willing to learn. His brother and presumed eventual heir to the throne, Albert Victor, called "Eddy" by the family, was considered backward, lazy and obtuse. It was considered that although George was expected to follow a career in the navy, it would be unwise to separate him from his brother as he was considered a good influence upon him. Accordingly, both boys joined the cadet training ship HMS Brittania
HMS Prince of Wales (1860)
HMS Prince of Wales was one of six 121-gun screw-propelled first-rate three-decker line-of-battle ships of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 25 January 1860...
in September 1877. Dalton accompanied the boys, sharing a cabin with them while continuing to act as their guardian, and acted as chaplain to the ship. Despite Dalton's presence, the princes (Eddy nicknamed 'Herring' and George 'Sprat') were bullied by other cadets keen to have a go at accessible royalty. One cadet, Hugh Thomas
Hugh Evan-Thomas
Vice Admiral Sir Hugh Evan-Thomas GCB, KCMG, MVO was a British Royal Navy officer.During World War I he commanded the 5th Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet, flying his flag in HMS Barham, and fought at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May – 1 June 1916.-Background:Evan-Thomas' family came from...
was approved of by Dalton and began a friendship with the princes which continued for some years.
In 1879 training on Britannia came to end. It was again proposed that Eddy should attend a public school, but Dalton recommended the brothers should remain together. Instead it was arranged that both princes and Dalton should sail on HMS Bacchante
HMS Bacchante (1876)
HMS Bacchante was a Bacchante-class ironclad screw-propelled corvette of the Royal Navy. She is particularly famous for being the ship on which the Princes George and Albert served as midshipmen....
with a crew carefully selected to be a good influence on the boys. The captain, Lord Charles Scott, was a son of the Duke of Buccleuch, while his nephew the future 7th Duke was part of the crew. Other crew were also chosen for their royal connections, as in the case of Hugh Evan-Thomas (surname now officially changed by his father) who was posted to the same watch as the princes. Dalton saw it as his responsibility, despite royal instructions that the princes should be treated 'just like other ordinary midshipmen', to restrict their contact with other members of the crew, shifting away anyone who became too friendly.
The tour ended in August 1882, when Dalton and his charges returned with the ship to England. He took with him numerous mementoes of the tour, including the sailor who had been assigned as his servant during the voyage, who continued to work for him ashore for the next 50 years. He also obtained an introduction to Evan-Thomas' sister Catherine, who shortly afterwards agreed to marry him despite being considerably younger.
Prince George returned to the navy, but Eddy remained a low achiever and continued a further year intensive tutoring with Dalton in preparation for attending Cambridge university. Dalton married Catherine on 16 January 1886 and their first son Edward Hugh John Neale Dalton
Hugh Dalton
Edward Hugh John Neale Dalton, Baron Dalton PC was a British Labour Party politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1945 to 1947, when he was implicated in a political scandal involving budget leaks....
was born at home in Glamorgan, August 1887. Hugh Evan-Thomas and prince Edward were his godparents. Their second child, Alexandra Mary, was born 1891, but in accord with Dalton's wish to have had a second son who he could have named after prince George, was nicknamed 'Georgie'.
In 1892 Prince George briefly assumed command of HMS Melampus
HMS Melampus
Six ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Melampus after the legengary Greek soothsayer Melampus.# HMS Melampus was a fifth rate frigate captured in 1757 and sold soon afterwards....
during her commissioning and trials. Dalton was invited onboard as George's guest.
Dalton became Curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of Sandringham
Sandringham, Norfolk
Sandringham is a village and civil parish in the north of the English county of Norfolk. The village is situated some south of the village of Dersingham, north of the town of King's Lynn and north-west of the city of Norwich....
and a Canon of St. George's Chapel, Windsor
Dean and Canons of Windsor
The Dean and Canons of Windsor are the ecclesiastical body of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.-Foundation:The college of Canons was established in 1348 by Letters Patent of King Edward III. The college was formally constituted on the Feast of St...
. He was also Chaplain-in-ordinary and Deputy Clerk of the Closet to Queen Victoria and then Edward VII, Chaplain to Prince George as Duke of York and Prince of Wales.
He was invested as a Companion, Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(CMG) in 1881 and Knight Commander, Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(KCVO) in 1911.
In 1920 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws (LLD) by the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
.
Publications
Dalton was an antiquarianAntiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
and liturgical
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
scholar. He published various books including:
- The Collegiate ChurchCollegiate churchIn Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons; a non-monastic, or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost...
of Ottery S. MaryOttery St MaryOttery St Mary, known as "Ottery" , is a town in the East Devon district of Devon, England, on the River Otter, about ten miles east of Exeter on the B3174. It is part of a large civil parish of the same name, which also covers the villages of West Hill, Metcombe, Fairmile, Alfington, Tipton St...
, Cambridge Univ. Press, 1917, xxIv + 310 pp., 27 illust. - The Book of Common PrayerBook of Common PrayerThe Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
: An edition containing proposals and suggestions compiled by John Neale Dalton, Canon of Windsor, (Cambridge: Cambridge University PressCambridge University PressCambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
, 1920) - Sermons to Naval Cadets produced while acting as naval chaplain accompanying the princes
Family
In 1886, Dalton married Catherine ("Kitty") Alicia Evan Thomas of NeathNeath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
; their son was Hugh Dalton
Hugh Dalton
Edward Hugh John Neale Dalton, Baron Dalton PC was a British Labour Party politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1945 to 1947, when he was implicated in a political scandal involving budget leaks....
, later a prominent politician.
Daltons brothers were:
- Rev. William Edward Dalton (1841–1928), Vicar of Glynde, SussexSussexSussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
- Sir Cornelius Neale Dalton (1842–1920), Comptroller-General of the UK Intellectual Property Office
Dalton was godfather
Godparent
A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism. A male godparent is a godfather, and a female godparent is a godmother...
to the surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
Sir Alfred Downing Fripp
Alfred Downing Fripp (surgeon)
Sir Alfred Downing Fripp K.C.V.O. was a surgeon at Guy's Hospital, London.He was born in Dorset, the son of the artist Alfred Downing Fripp. His godfather was royal tutor John Neale Dalton...
.
Neale
Dalton was descended from the Neale family, from whom strong family naming is evident:- James Neale, b. ~1760
- Hannah Mae Neale, his daughter, b. 1784 who married John Dalton
- his sons:
- Benjamin Neale, b. 1786
- Samuel Neale, b. 1788
- Cornelius NealeCornelius NealeCornelius Neale was an English clergyman.Cornelius Neale came from a London family with an Evangelical background: his father James Neale was one of the founders of the London Missionary Society. He entered St John's College, Cambridge and graduated Senior Wrangler in 1812, with first Smith's...
, b. 1789- John Mason NealeJohn Mason NealeJohn Mason Neale was an Anglican priest, scholar and hymn-writer.-Life:Neale was born in London, his parents being the Revd Cornelius Neale and Susanna Neale, daughter of John Mason Good...
, b. 1818, son of Cornelius
- John Mason Neale