Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/149

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DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALASIAN BIOGRAPHY.
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lieutenant R.A. in 1861, captain in 1875, and major in 1882; was adjutant R.A. from July 1st, 1877, to Sept. 10th, 1880, and served throughout the Abyssinian campaign in 1868, being present at the fall of Magdala, for which he received a medal. On Sept. 1st, 1883, he became commandant of the military forces of Victoria, with the local rank of Colonel. This post he held till Sept. 28th, 1888, when he returned to England.

Dobson, Hon. Alfred, Solicitor-General, Tasmania, sixth son of the late John Dobson, of Hobart Town, Tasmania, solicitor and public notary, and previously of Gateshead, co. Durham, by his marriage with Kate, daughter of the late Richard Willis, member of the old Legislative Council of Tasmania, was born in 1849, and became a student of the Inner Temple on April 20th, 1872, being called to the English bar on Jan. 26th, 1875. Returning to Tasmania, he was called to the bar there on Sept. 10th, 1875, and was a member of the House of Assembly from 1877 to 1887. Mr. Dobson was Attorney-General in the Fysh Ministry from August 13th, 1877 (when he was sworn of the Executive Council), to Dec. 20th, 1878, and was Speaker of the House of Assembly from July 1st, 1885, to May 29th, 1887, when he resigned his seat for Glenorchy on accepting the appointment of Solicitor-General.

Dobson, Edward, M.Inst.C.E., arrived in Canterbury, N.Z., in 1850, and was for many years Provincial Engineer. In 1854 he was a member of the commission to report on the Moorhouse Tunnel, between Christchurch and Lyttelton. Mr. Dobson—who was awarded, in 1870, the Telford gold medal of the Institute of Civil Engineers for "A Memoir on the Public Works of the Province of Canterbury, New Zealand"—is the author of numerous works on engineering.

Dobson, Hon. Frank Stanley, M.L.C., M A., LL.D., F.L.S., second son of John Dobson, of Hobart, by Mary Anne, daughter of Matthew Atkinson, of Carr Hill, near Gateshead, and of Temple Sowerby, was born in Tasmania in 1835, and educated at Hutchins School, Hobart, and St. John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1861 and LL.D. in 1870. Mr. Dobson entered at the Middle Temple in Jan. 1856, and was called to the English bar in April 1860, and to the Tasmanian bar on August 28th, 1861. Having taken up his residence in Australia, he was called to the Victorian bar on Sept. 26th, 1861. He was Law Lecturer at Melbourne University, of which he was made M.A. In 1865 he entered the Legislative Council of Victoria as member for the southern province, and held office as Solicitor-General in the O'Loghlen Ministry from July 9th, 1881, to March 7th, 1883. Mr. Dobson now represents the south-eastern province, and has for some years past been Chairman of Committees of the Legislative Council. He married, on June 8th, 1871, Edith Mary, younger daughter of John Carter, Q.C., who died; and he then married his present wife, Henrietta Louisa, daughter of the late W. S. Sharland, of New Norfolk, Tasmania.

Dobson, Hon. Sir William Lambert, F.L.S., Chief Justice, Tasmania, brother of the preceding, eldest son of John Dobson, of Hobart Town, by Mary Anne, daughter of Matthew Atkinson, was born in 1833. He entered at the Middle Temple on Nov. 7th, 1853, received a certificate of honour in May 1856, and was called to the English bar on June 6th, 1856. He was called to the Tasmanian bar on Jan. 22nd, 1857, and married, in 1858, Fanny Louisa, daughter of Ven. William Henry Browne, LL.D., of Ballinvoher, co. Cork, Archdeacon of Launceston. He was appointed Crown Solicitor in 1859, and entered the House of Assembly in 1861, retaining his seat till 1870. He was Attorney-General in the Weston Administration from Feb. 5th to August 2nd, 1861, and in the Chapman Ministry from the latter date till Jan. 20th, 1863. He filled the same post in the Dry Ministry from Nov. 24th, 1866, to August 4th, 1869, and in the Wilson Ministry from that date till Feb. 5th, 1870, when he was appointed Puisne Judge of Tasmania, becoming Chief Justice on the retirement of Sir Francis Smith (q.v.), on Feb. 7th, 1885. Sir Lambert, who is Chancellor of the University of Tasmania, was sworn of the Executive Council on June 6th, 1861, and was created K.B. on August 16th, 1886. He administered the government from Nov. 18th, 1886, till March 11th, 1887.

Docker, Hon. Joseph, M.L.C., second son of Robert Docker, of London, and Eliza (Perry) his wife, was born in 1802, and

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