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Rev. William Henry Dallinger [Obituary]

by

Maxwell Adams (Ed.)

Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol.  XLII, (1910), pp. 42-43.

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s July 1910 Collumpton meeting. J.W. Haas on the National Library of Medicine website points out that the Rev Dr Dallinger was “a social outsider concerned with the application of science to the physical, intellectual and spiritual health of his homeland, who forced his way into the scientific life of his nation. His path was encouraged by such mentors as William McKenny who steered him into the Methodist ministry, James Drysdale who helped him get established as a scientist and John Tyndall, Thomas Huxley and Charles Darwin who encouraged his scientific efforts and smoothed his way into his nation's highest scientific circles”. The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Rev. William Henry Dallinger. By the death of Dr. Dallmger, M.A., F.R.S., F.L.S., D.Sc, LL.D., the Association has lost one of its most distinguished members, and the world a prominent man of science. Born at Devonport, he was privately educated, and in 1861 entered Richmond College to be trained for the Wesleyan ministry. As a Wesleyan minister he was stationed successively at Faversham, Cardiff, Bristol, and Liverpool.
In the “sixties" the scientific world was much concerned about the theory of abiogenesis - the supposed origin of living from non-living matter - of which Dr. Charlton Bastian was and is one of the foremost advocates. Tyndall and Huxley were at that day amongst the stoutest opponents of the doctrine, but in the main their arguments were theoretical. Dr. Dallinger investigated the subject experimentally. In this work he was assisted by Dr. Drysdale. The result of the research was to show, as the investigators reported, that germs, however minute, "were fertilized by a genetic process, like all the higher and more complex forms above them." Or, in other words, that "down to the uttermost verge of organized existence and in its lowliest condition, it is yet true that only that which is living can produce that which shall live."
This piece of practical research was warmly welcomed and instantly recognized by scientific men. In 1880, Dr. Dallinger was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society which, unsolicited, made him a grant of £100 for the further prosecution of his researches, which extended over ten years. Later he delivered a series of lectures before the Royal Institution in London, a similar course at Oxford, and the Rede Lecture at Cambridge. To the important office of President of the Royal Microscopical Society, of which he had previously been elected Fellow, he was chosen in 1883, on the death of Dr. Carpenter whose work on the microscope he re-edited and to a con- siderable extent rewrote. Dublin University conferred on him its degree of D.Sc., and Durham its D.C.L. The Wesleyan Conference appointed Dr. Dallinger President of the Wesley College at Sheffield, and in 1888, greatly to its honour, released him from circuit work and appointed him "a special preacher of the society" - a status absolutely new in the history of the community.
He was an honorary member of this Association, and President in 1887, when it met at Plympton. He died on 7 November, 1909, and was buried at Lee. His wife (a daughter of Mr. David Goldsmith, of Bury St. Edmunds) and one son survive him.