Alec John Dawson

Alec John Dawson generally known as A. J. Dawson (pseudonyms Captain Dawson, Major Dawson, Howard Kerr, Nicholas Freydon) was an English author, traveller and novelist. During World War I he attained the rank of Major, and was awarded the MBE and Croix de Guerre in recognition of his work as a military propagandist. Dawson published over thirty books, the one best remembered today probably being the animal adventure story Finn the Wolfhound (1908).

Dawson was born in Wandsworth, England, the third son of Edward (1839-1906) and Sarah Ann Dawson née Hill (1843-1911). His father worked as a collector for the local gas company. He left school early to become an apprentice in the Merchant Navy, but jumped ship in Australia after a couple of voyages.

He used the pen-name Howard Kerr for his first published novel, Leeway (1896). Further publications as A.J. Dawson soon followed: two collections of short stories (Mere Sentiment and In the Bight of Benin) and two novels (God's Foundling and Middle Greyness) in 1897 alone.

By 1898 he was back in England, marrying in that year Elizabeth Drummond. Elizabeth (1874-1932) was the daughter of the Bradford worsted manufacturer John Drummond and his wife Mary. Dawson and his wife were living in Yorkshire in 1900, and their sole child John Delacourt Dawson was born on 3 May 1900. Dawson appears to have separated from his wife very early in their marriage and the 1901 census records lend support to this understanding of their relationship. The 1901 Census records Dawson as residing at "The Croft", Crondall, Hampshire and the other occupants of this household were William Gambrill (servant aged 58) and Ethel Gambrill (servant aged 25). The 1901 Census shows his wife Elizabeth and their son John living with her parents in Yorkshire. In 1908, Elizabeth filed a petition for divorce.

Dawson was also a dog-lover who had become interested in the revival of the Irish Wolfhound breed and served as Honorary Secretary of the Irish Wolfhound Club. His own dog Tynagh and her son Gareth, who was described as the largest and finest specimen of his breed to date, served as the models for Tara and Finn in Finn the Wolfhound (1908).

He lived at 3 Maze Hill Mansions for many years and shared that residence with Ethel Gambrill. Dawson served with the Sussex Home Guard during World War II and eventually died at his home in St Leonards-on-Sea on 3 February 1951.