Introduction

Biography

Austin was the old­est son of ci­vil en­gin­eer George Cla­risse Dob­son, and hus­band of Fran­ces Mary Beard­more (mar­ried 1868).

Austin’s fa­mi­ly moved to Ho­lyhead, when he was about eight years old, and he at­tend­ed his first school at Beau­mar­is in An­gle­sey. He lat­er stu­died at Co­ven­try, and the Gymnase in Stras­bourg.

In De­cem­ber 1856 he en­tered the Board of Trade, gra­du­al­ly ris­ing to the rank of prin­ci­pal in the har­bor de­par­tment, and re­tir­ing in 1901.

Dobson’s ci­vil ser­vice ca­reer was un­re­mark­able: Pos­te­ri­ty re­mem­bers him as a po­et and bio­gra­pher.