159 
3n /IDemonani. 
JOHN ROCHE DAKYNS, M.A. 
(1836—1910.) 
Of late, Death has struck heavily into the foremost rank of 
Yorkshire Geologists. Sorby, Hudleston, Fox-Strangways are 
gone. And now we have to lament the loss of another veteran, 
in the death of J. R. Dakyns, which occurred, after a mercifully 
brief illness, on September 27th, at Snowdon View, Gwynant, 
near Beddgelert, where he had resided for some years past. 
Though his residence in Yorkshire terminated over twenty-five 
years ago, he will be well remembered by the older geologists 
of both the East and the West Riding, and by his many friends 
outside the geological circle. 
John Roche, the eldest of six sons, was born on January 
31st, 1836, in the Island of St. Vincent, West Indies, where his 
father, Dr. T. H. Dakyns, held estates and pursued his medical 
profession. The family removed to Rugby in 1845, and the future 
geologist was educated there, at first in a preparatory school, 
under the Rev. T. L. Bloxam, and afterwards at Rugby 
School. In 1855 he went up to Trinity College, Cambridge ; 
was elected a scholar of his CoUege in 1858 ; and graduated with 
distinction in 1859, being bracketed 27th Wrangler in the Mathe- 
matical Tripos. He took the degree of M.A. in 1864, 
In 1862 he was appointed to the staff of the Geological Survey 
as Assistant-Geologist, proceeding to the rank of Geologist in 
1868. His earlier work for the Survey was done mainly in the 
West Riding, and just across its border, in Westmoreland, 
Cumberland, Lancashire and Derbyshire. About the year 1877 
his field of work was changed to the East Riding — much to his 
distaste, for the Dale country had cast its charm over him. During 
the next three or four years he mapped the northern part of 
Holdemess and the neighbouring Wolds. He became a Member 
of our Society in 1879. 
