DISNEY, John (eld. son of Rev. John Disney, Unitarian clergyman 1746–1816). b. Flintham hall, Notts. 29 May 1779; inherited from his father the collection of antiquities formed by Hollis and Brand in Italy 1748–53 to which he made additions; barrister I.T. 13 May 1803; recorder of Bridport 14 Sep. 1807 to Oct. 1823; contested Harwich, Dec. 1832 and North Essex, May 1835; F.R.S. 7 June 1832; F.S.A.; presented to Univ. of Cam. a collection of 83 ancient marbles 16 April 1850; founded Disney professorship of archæology in Univ. of Cam. 1851, endowed it with sum of £1000 which he increased to £3250 by a bequest in his will 1857; published A collection of acts of parliament relative to elections 1811; Outlines of a penal code 1826; Museum Disneianum 3 parts 1846–9. d. The Hyde, Ingatestone, Essex 6 May 1857.
DISSTON, Henry. b. Tewkesbury 21 May 1819; went to United States 1833; manufacturer of saws in Philadelphia about 1840 to death, employed 400 workmen; invented more than 20 improvements in saw manufacture, among them the movable or inserted teeth; inventor and manufacturer of the Disston saw. d. Philadelphia 16 March 1878.
DISTIN, John. b. 1793; trumpet player in Her Majesty’s theatre, London; bandmaster to Marquis of Breadalbane; formed a Quintet band of wind instruments, composed of himself and his sons 1833, travelled with it in England 1833–36 and abroad 1836–44; made an improvement in the sax horn 1844; first played at Jullien’s concerts, Covent Garden 3 Nov. 1844. d. Great Newport st. St. Martin’s lane, London 8 July 1863. I.L.N. v, 384 (1844), portraits of John Distin and his 4 sons.
DITCHER, Rev. Joseph. Educ. at Queen’s coll. Cam.; P.C. of Holy Trinity, Bitton, Gloucs. 1821–35; M.A. by Abp. of Canterbury 3 Feb. 1837; judge of consistorial episcopal court of Bath and Wells 1836–41; V. of South Brent, Somerset 1841 to death; prosecuted Archdeacon G. A. Denison for his sermons on the doctrine of the Real Presence 1856; author of A statement of the proceedings in the case of Ditcher v. Denison 1858. d. South Brent 28 Nov. 1875. S. Ditcher’s Memorials of Rev. J. Ditcher 1876.
DIVETT, Edward. b. 1797; ed. at Eton; M.P. for Exeter 12 Dec. 1832 to death. d. Bystock near Exmouth 25 July 1864.
DIXON, George (3 son of John Dixon of Gledhow hall, Yorkshire 1753–1825). b. 5 Aug. 1801; ensign 3 Foot guards 20 Jany. 1820, major 25 March 1853 to 20 June 1854; col. 104 Foot 2 Feb. 1867 to death; general 1 April 1870. d. 97 Mount st. London 15 May 1874.
DIXON, Henry Hall (2 son of Peter Dixon of Warwick bridge, Carlisle, cotton manufacturer). b. Carlisle 16 May 1822; ed. at Rugby and Trin. coll. Cam., B.A. 1846; articled to a solicitor at Doncaster; contributed to the Sporting Review about 1850–60; barrister M.T. 7 May 1852; wrote The herds of Great Britain in the Mark Lane Express 1859–60; wrote the article entitled The Farm in the Illustrated London News some years; author of The law of the farm 1858, 4 ed. 1879; Field and Fern 2 vols. 1865; published under pseudonym of The Druid Post and Paddock 1856; Silk and Scarlet 1859; Scott and Sebright 1862; Saddle and Sirloin 1870. d. Warwick gardens, Kensington, London 16 March 1870. Sporting Review lxiii, 294–97 (1870); Illust. sporting and dramatic news i, 65–6 (1874), portrait; Sporting Times 6 Feb. 1886 pp. 2–3.
DIXON, Rev. James. b. King’s Mills near Castle Donington, Leics. 29 Oct. 1788; joined Methodist Society 1808, licensed at quarter sessions to preach 14 Jany. 1812; appointed to Cardiff circuit 1816; pres. of the Conference 1841; D.D. of Univ. of Pennsylvania, July 1843; appointed to South London circuit 1844; pres. of Conference of Upper Canada 1848; retired from full ministry 1862; a great preacher and orator; author of Methodism in its origin, economy and present position 1841; Methodism in America 1849 and other books. d. Bradford 28 Dec. 1871. R. W. Dixon’s Life of James Dixon, D.D. 1874; Methodist Quarterly ix, 9, (1849), portrait.
DIXON, His Grace the Most Rev. Joseph. b. Cole Island near Dungannon, co. Tyrone 2 Feb. 1806; entered Royal college of St. Patrick, Maynooth 1822, dean there 5 years, professor of Sacred Scripture and Hebrew 1828; R.C. archbishop of Armagh and primate of all Ireland 28 Sep. 1852 to death, consecrated 21 Nov.; author of A general introduction to the Sacred Scriptures in a series of dissertations 2 vols. 1852; The blessed Cornelius, or some tidings of an archbishop of Armagh who went to Rome in the twelfth century 1855. d. Armagh 29 April 1866. Catholic Directory, Dublin 1867 pp. 421–28.
DIXON, Manley Hall. b. Stoke Damarel, Devon 8 June 1786; entered navy June 1794; captain 28 June 1811; R.A. 27 Dec. 1847; V.A. 7 Feb. 1855; pensioned 28 Dec. 1855; admiral on half pay 1 Nov. 1860. d. Stoke, Devonport 3 March 1864.