DALTON 



1766-1844 



JOHN DALTON, the founder of the chemical atomic 

 theory, was born at Eaglesfield, Cumberland, on 

 5th September 1766. He was a Quaker, and the son of 

 Joseph and Deborah Dalton ; and he attended the village 

 schools until he was eleven years of age. He was a steady - 

 going, thoughtful, and industrious boy. 



In 1778 he began to teach in a school at Eaglesfield, 

 but had great trouble to maintain discipline owing to 

 some of his pupils being as old as himself. Disputes were 

 often settled by exhibitions of physical force displayed 

 in the neighbouring churchyard. Three years later he 

 gave up the school, and went as assistant to his cousin, 

 George Bewley, at Kendal, which position he occupied 

 four years. At the end of this time Bewley retired, and 

 the school was continued by the brothers, John and Joseph 

 Dalton, but as teachers they were not popular owing to 

 their uncouth manners. 



After leaving Kendal, Dalton went to Manchester as 

 a science tutor to the Manchester New College then exist- 



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