author
Cornelius Neale Dalton
1842–1920
A Victorian-era civil servant with a literary side, he moved between law, government, poetry, translation, and historical writing. His career reached high office in the British patent system, but he also left behind books that reflect a broad and curious mind.
1 Audiobook
The Real Captain Kidd: A Vindication
by Cornelius Neale Dalton
About the author
Educated at Blackheath Proprietary School and Trinity College, Cambridge, Sir Cornelius Neale Dalton was born on 24 September 1842 in Walthamstow and died on 19 October 1920 in Hampstead. He trained in law, was called to the bar at the Inner Temple, and went on to build a long career in public service.
Dalton worked for the Local Government Board before becoming Comptroller-General of Patents, a post he held from 1897 to 1909. He was honored with the CB and later the KCMG, reflecting the importance of his administrative work.
Alongside his official career, he wrote and translated books, including poetry and historical studies. That mix of practical public service and serious literary interest gives him an unusual place among late 19th- and early 20th-century British authors.