[1] On 11 June 1929 he married Rua Belle Milne at First Church in Dunedin.

He made his debut for the All Blacks in 1922 on their tour of New South Wales, playing five matches and scoring three tries.

[1] A fast bowler, Dickinson became the first so-called "double All Black" when he represented New Zealand at cricket against Victoria in the 1924–25 season.

His outstanding performance came in Otago's match against the touring Australians in February 1928, when he dismissed seven of the first eight batsmen, at one stage taking six wickets for three runs in five overs, and finished with figures of 7 for 96.

[8] He died in Lower Hutt on 17 March 1978,[1] and his ashes were buried at Taitā Lawn Cemetery.