Born in Briestfield in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Dixon attended a Sunday School at which his father was the superintendent.
His father died seven years later, and Dixon then moved to Gomersal, where he continued working as a miner.
[1] In Gomersal, Dixon attended classes at the mechanics' institution, and in 1844 heard David Swallow speak about trade unionism.
[1] The Adwalton and Drighlington union had been largely destroyed by the 1862 strike, but Dixon was able to partially rebuild it, and in 1866 took it into a merger with the West Yorkshire Miners' Association (WYMA).
[1] Dixon was also active in the Miners' National Union, and gave evidence to the 1873 Select Committee on Coal.