John Dalton (1889-1959)
Sir John Dalton (c1889-1959), chairman of W. T. Henleys Telegraph Works Co
1959 Obituary [1]
SIR JOHN DALTON, who died in London on May 14 at the age of seventy, was a well known figure, both in the electrical manufacturing industry and in electricity supply. He was for many years chairman of W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Company, Ltd., and director and general manager of the County of London Electricity Supply Company and associated companies from 1927 to 1945.
On leaving school he trained as an electrical engineer and on the outbreak of war in 1914 he joined the Royal Engineers (Signals) and served in France, being promoted to the rank of captain in 1917. He was appointed honorary colonel of the Royal Corps of Signals in 1941.
He was called to the Bar at Gray's Inn in 1922 and began to earn a reputation as an authority on the law relating to electricity supply. From 1922 to 1927 he served as legal adviser to the Electricity Commission, before joining the County of London Electricity Supply Company. He was also a director of the London Power Company.
His published works included Electricity Act, 1926, and Electricity Act, 1947, and he was the editor of Wills' Electric Lighting. During the 1939-45 war he was regional controller of fuel and power for London and South East England and chairman of the public utilities coal committee.
From 1948 to 1953, he was director of the Cable Makers' Association and in 1955 be was president of the British Electrical Power Convention.
When he retired from the office of chairman of W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Company, Ltd., last year, he remained a member of the board of directors. He was knighted in 1942.