Hugh Dixson
Encyclopedia
Sir Hugh Dixson was an Australia
n business man and philanthropist
.Dixson was born in George Street
, Sydney
, the son of Hugh Dixson and his wife Helen, née Craig.
at Paddington
. At 14 years of age, Dixson went to work at a timber yard for Phillip McMahon. In 1856 he joined the tobacco
business founded by his father, becoming a partner in 1864. The business grew steadily, and after the father's death in 1880 expanded rapidly under the management of Dixson and his brother Robert. It was subsequently merged in the British-Australian Tobacco Company Proprietary Limited, probably the largest business of its kind in Australia at the time.
in 1887 and the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science in 1898. Dixson died at Colombo
on 11 May 1926. He was knighted in 1921. He married in 1866 Emma Elizabeth (died 1922) daughter of William Edward Shaw, and was survived by two sons and four daughters.
Dixson's elder son, Sir William Dixson (born 1870) made a remarkable collection of pictures, books, manuscripts, prints, maps and charts, relating to Australia, all destined to become the property of the state of New South Wales. A large collection of pictures was presented in 1929 and housed in the William Dixson gallery at the Mitchell library, Sydney
. Dixson was knighted in 1939.
In addition to seeking to fund a battleship for England Dixson supported other patriotic causes. One such as the Legion of Frontiersmen: The Legion of Frontiersmen is a patriotic paramilitary organisation formed in Britain in 1905 by Roger Pocock, a former Constable with the North West Mounted Police and Boer War veteran, to bolster the defensive capacity of the British Empire. Prompted by pre-war fears of an impending invasion of Britain, the organisation was founded on a romanticized conception of the "frontier" and imperial idealism. Headquartered in London, branches of the Legion of Frontiersmen were formed throughout the empire to prepare patriots for war and to foster vigilance in peacetime. Despite persistent efforts, the Legion never achieved more than sporadic and tenuous official recognition, but it raised battalions and its members enlisted en masse at the onset of the First World War. Frontiersmen also served as special constables in London for the duration of hostilities. Wartime casualties devastated the Legion of Frontiersmen, and except for a brief resurgence in the interwar period, a series of schisms and sectarianism prevented attempts to reinvigorate the movement. Various Legion of Frontiersmen groups still exist throughout the Commonwealth, but as a whole, it has been unable to define its niche in the post-imperial world. The League of Frontiersmen purports to represent Frontiersmen worldwide through its International Frontiersmen Council.
President was Hugh Dixson Esq, two Vice Presidents were appointed Col K Mackay CB MLC and H D Morton Esq MLA. The real control however was held by Lt H L A Frankford his Org Off was 2nd Lt J Suffern the Sect. was 2nd Lt Albert J Fisher Asst Sect. was F/M L Borgnis. The Legion Taylor was F/M Geo Graham of 335a George St.
On the 8th of October 1912 Capt Henry Frankford, Commandant of the NSW Command did a tour of country units and inspected the Casino Troop. He expressed satisfaction at the progress of their work they had done and complimented the men on such. (From Jeff Henley, LF Hist & Research (AUST))
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n business man and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
.Dixson was born in George Street
George Street, Sydney
George Street is one of Sydney's most notable city streets. There are more high rise buildings and more ASX 100 companies located here than anywhere else in Australia, and is well known for being busy around-the-clock...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, the son of Hugh Dixson and his wife Helen, née Craig.
Early life and education
He was educated at the Elfred House Private School kept by William Timothy CapeWilliam Timothy Cape
William Timothy Cape was an early school master in Sydney, Australia; several of the Premiers of New South Wales attended his school....
at Paddington
Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Paddington is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Sydney and the Municipality of Woollahra...
. At 14 years of age, Dixson went to work at a timber yard for Phillip McMahon. In 1856 he joined the tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
business founded by his father, becoming a partner in 1864. The business grew steadily, and after the father's death in 1880 expanded rapidly under the management of Dixson and his brother Robert. It was subsequently merged in the British-Australian Tobacco Company Proprietary Limited, probably the largest business of its kind in Australia at the time.
Latter life
Dixson then retired, but with his wife, continued his interest in the Baptist Church and in various philanthropic institutions. An early substantial gift was £5000 as the beginning of a fund to present a battleship to England. This fund was not successful and his gift was devoted to educating English boys at Australian agricultural colleges. A gift of £10,000 helped the establishment of an aged and infirm ministers' fund in the Baptist Church, and much assistance was given to the building of churches in various parts of the state. A sum of £20,000 was used to build a cancer wing at the Ryde home for incurables. But the gifts of Dixson and his wife were both many and varied. Both worked on committees, and Dixson at various times was president of the Baptist Union, of the Baptist Home Mission Society, and of the Young Men's Christian Association. Dixson was a noted horticulturist, becoming a member of the Linnean Society of New South WalesLinnean Society of New South Wales
The Linnean Society of New South Wales promotes the Cultivation and Study of the Science of Natural History in all its Branches and was founded in Sydney, New South Wales in 1874 and incorporated in 1884. It succeeded the Entomological Society of New South Wales, founded in 1862 and folded in...
in 1887 and the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science in 1898. Dixson died at Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
on 11 May 1926. He was knighted in 1921. He married in 1866 Emma Elizabeth (died 1922) daughter of William Edward Shaw, and was survived by two sons and four daughters.
Dixson's elder son, Sir William Dixson (born 1870) made a remarkable collection of pictures, books, manuscripts, prints, maps and charts, relating to Australia, all destined to become the property of the state of New South Wales. A large collection of pictures was presented in 1929 and housed in the William Dixson gallery at the Mitchell library, Sydney
State Library of New South Wales
The State Library of New South Wales is a large public library owned by the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Macquarie Street, Sydney near Shakespeare Place...
. Dixson was knighted in 1939.
In addition to seeking to fund a battleship for England Dixson supported other patriotic causes. One such as the Legion of Frontiersmen: The Legion of Frontiersmen is a patriotic paramilitary organisation formed in Britain in 1905 by Roger Pocock, a former Constable with the North West Mounted Police and Boer War veteran, to bolster the defensive capacity of the British Empire. Prompted by pre-war fears of an impending invasion of Britain, the organisation was founded on a romanticized conception of the "frontier" and imperial idealism. Headquartered in London, branches of the Legion of Frontiersmen were formed throughout the empire to prepare patriots for war and to foster vigilance in peacetime. Despite persistent efforts, the Legion never achieved more than sporadic and tenuous official recognition, but it raised battalions and its members enlisted en masse at the onset of the First World War. Frontiersmen also served as special constables in London for the duration of hostilities. Wartime casualties devastated the Legion of Frontiersmen, and except for a brief resurgence in the interwar period, a series of schisms and sectarianism prevented attempts to reinvigorate the movement. Various Legion of Frontiersmen groups still exist throughout the Commonwealth, but as a whole, it has been unable to define its niche in the post-imperial world. The League of Frontiersmen purports to represent Frontiersmen worldwide through its International Frontiersmen Council.
Legion in NSW
A Maj.C A McBride a Dentist of Challis House, Martin Place in Sydney stated he was local HQ of the Legion with about 80 members in Sydney. In December 1911 Henry Frankford was made a Lt and took command of the NSW Units. A former soldier Frankfort soon begun a reorganisation of the NSW members.President was Hugh Dixson Esq, two Vice Presidents were appointed Col K Mackay CB MLC and H D Morton Esq MLA. The real control however was held by Lt H L A Frankford his Org Off was 2nd Lt J Suffern the Sect. was 2nd Lt Albert J Fisher Asst Sect. was F/M L Borgnis. The Legion Taylor was F/M Geo Graham of 335a George St.
On the 8th of October 1912 Capt Henry Frankford, Commandant of the NSW Command did a tour of country units and inspected the Casino Troop. He expressed satisfaction at the progress of their work they had done and complimented the men on such. (From Jeff Henley, LF Hist & Research (AUST))