Dobson, William Lambert   (1833 - 1898)

born on 24 April 1833 at Carr Hill, Durham, England; died on 17 March 1898 (aged 64).

He was the elder son of John Dobson (1800-1865), solicitor, and his first wife Mary Ann, née Atkinson (1811-1837).

With his parents he arrived at Hobart Town in the Mary on 18 January 1834.

He attended Christ College and in 1848 entered the Hutchins School where he became head boy. He then served as clerk in the Police Magistrate's Office and in 1853 left for England.

He was admitted to the Middle Temple and after winning the first certificate, the highest honour awarded by the Council of Legal Education, was called to the Bar on 6 June 1856.

He returned to Hobart, was admitted to practise as a barrister on 22 January 1857, appointed commissioner of the Caveat Board for the issue of crown grants, and later became crown solicitor and clerk of the peace.

Dobson represented Hobart in the House of Assembly in 1861-62 and Campbell Town in 1864-70. He was attorney-general in the administration of William Weston from February to August 1861 and of Thomas Chapman until January 1863.

Dobson continued as attorney-general until February 1870 when he was appointed a puisne judge in the Supreme Court.

He was appointed chief justice in February 1886.

Among other positions he was first chancellor of the University of Tasmania, president of the Tasmanian Council of Education and vice-president of the Royal Society of Tasmania, a member of the Linnean Society of London, and a trustee of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.

On a visit to London in 1886 he was knighted by Queen Victoria and was appointed K.C.M.G. in 1897.

He contracted a fever and died on 17 March 1898 at Hobart.

His herbarium collections have collector: "Dobson, W.L. Judge" on the label.

Source: Extracted from:
https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/dobson-sir-william-lambert-3419
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lambert_Dobson
Portrait Photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lambert_Dobson

Collecting localities for 'Dobson, W.L.' from AVH (2026)

Data from 174 specimens