[2] The sundial caught the attention of many, including Dr Henry Miles, a Stroud-born Fellow of the Royal Society.

Miles encouraged Canton to leave Gloucestershire to become a trainee teacher for Samuel Watkins, the headmaster of a Nonconformist school in Spital Square, London, with whom he ultimately entered into partnership.

In 1751 he was a recipient of the Copley Medal "On account of his communicating to the Society, and exhibiting before them, his curious method of making Artificial Magnets without the use of Natural ones."

[3] In 1762 and 1764 he published experiments in refutation of the decision of the Florentine Academy, at that time generally accepted, that water is incompressible.

[7] Canton is now mainly remembered for his work in electrostatics,[2] particularly the invention of the pith ball electroscope, and his studies in atmospheric electricity.