John Harold Dalton was born in 1927 in Leeds, Yorkshire. He immigrated to Australia in 1950. He was a leading figure in architecture in Queensland between 1956, when he graduated, and 1979, when he temporarily retired from the field. He commenced practice as John Dalton Architect and Associates in 1959. Widely respected by his peers and the winner of numerous industry awards, Dalton was known for his distinctive approach to the challenges of designing for the Queensland climate. Some of his best-known works were his own residence, Dalton House, at Fig Tree Pocket, the Vice-Chancellor's Residence at the University of Queensland, University House at Griffith University and the Bardon Professional Centre. He was a prolific contributor to architectural journals and served for a time as the Queensland correspondent for Architecture in Australia. He died on 27 May 2007.