William Dickson (solicitor)

[11] William and Sarah Dickson had five children who survived infancy:[10] Dickson's literary and antiquarian tastes found expression as early as 1833, when he published, under the authority of the Northumberland magistrates, a quarto volume of 104 pages, entitled, The Wards, Divisions, Parishes, and Townships of Northumberland, according'to the Ancient and Modern Divisions, Shewing the Annual Value and Population of each Parish and Township maintaining its own Poor, from the Returns of 1831; also the Places for which Surveyors of Highways and Constables are appointed respectively, and by whom appointed; Compiled from the Records and other authentic sources.

[13] Three years later Mr. Dickson contributed to the old series of the Archaeologia Aeliana a series of Bills of Cravings of the Sheriff of Northumberland for 1715, of expenses incurred by him relative to the Rebellion of that year; a translation of Chronicles of the Monastery of Alnewicke, out of a certain Book of Chronicles in the Library of King's College, Cambridge, of the Gift of King Henry the 6th, the Founder; a table of Contents of the Chartulary of Hulne Abbey; and a Notice relative to the Hospital of St. Leonard in the Parish of Alnwick.

"[13] When Queen Victoria passed through Northumberland, in August, 1850, to open the Royal Border bridge at Berwick, and the train was stopped at Bilton to enable the inhabitants of Alnwick to present a loyal address, Mr. Dickson published an interesting record of the proceedings.

— and Mr. Dickson, taking up the record at that point, carried it down to the twelfth year of the first Edward, in the hope that the Newcastle Society of Antiquaries might continue the work.

Among them may be cited his address as President of the club, when holding its annual meeting at Alnmouth in 1857, and the following papers:[11] In the new series of the Archaeologia Aeliana volume I., is a further contribution from his pen relative to the Hospital of St. Leonard at Alnwick; and scattered through local newspapers are many historical notes and observations of his, written as occasion served, or circumstances demanded.