Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Dawson, Robert (1776-1860)
DAWSON, ROBERT (1776–1860), topographical artist, became an assistant draughtsman on the ordnance survey of Great Britain in 1794 at a salary of 54l. a year, and eight years later, on the formation of the late royal military surveyors and draughtsmen—a corps of warrant officers under the ordnance, with headquarters in the Tower of London—was appointed a first-class draughtsman therein. His talents and energy much contributed to bring the sketching and shading of ordnance plans to the degree of perfection afterwards attained (Frome, Trig. Surveying, edited by Captain (now Sir Charles) Warren, 1873, p. 137). Some of Dawson's topographical drawings of Welsh mountains, in which the physical characters are brought out and defined by the artistic employment of oblique light, are perhaps the finest specimens of orography of their kind ever produced. Dawson was employed in giving instructions in the then neglected art of topographical drawing to the young officers of royal engineers who were attached to the ordnance survey for the purpose, and to the officers of the permanent staff of the quartermaster-general's department on its first formation, and those of the senior department, Royal Military College. He was selected by General Mudge for like duties at the East India Company's Military Seminary at Addiscombe on its formation in 1810. He was afterwards pensioned by the board of ordnance, and died at Woodleigh rectory, Devonshire, on 22 June 1860.
[War Office Recs.; Gent. Mag. 3rd ser. ix. 213.]