Benjamin Palin Dobson
Benjamin Palin Dobson (1878-1937)
1937 Obituary [1]
Lt.-Colonel BENJAMIN PALIN DOBSON, T.D., was connected for the greater part of his life with the textile industry. He was for over thirty years a director of Messrs. Dobson and Barlow, Ltd., of Bolton, and was chairman of the Bolton and District Engineering Employers' Association and vice-president of the Lancashire and Cheshire Regional Committee of the Engineering Employers' Association. In addition he served on the Negotiating Committee and on the Administrative Committee of the Employers' National Federation. Colonel Dobson was born near Bolton in 1878 and was educated at Rossall and at Wiesbaden, Germany. He took his gunner's commission after a six months' course at Woolwich Military Academy, and then studied at Bolton Technical School. In 1896 he became an apprentice in Messrs. Dobson and Barlow's works and served until 1902. In the following year he was made a director. During the War he served in Gallipoli, Egypt, Sinai, France, and Belgium, and was twice mentioned in dispatches. He re-formed and commanded the 53rd Brigade, R.F.A. (The Bolton Artillery) in 1920. In 1929 he was elected president of the Textile Institute, and was the author of publications on the cotton gin and on spinning machinery. He was also chairman of the Anglo-East African Cotton Company, Ltd. Colonel Dobson was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1904 and was transferred to Membership in 1930. His death occurred on 26th November 1936.