William Harbutt Dawson (27 July 1860 – 7 March 1948)[1] was a British journalist, civil servant and author, and an acknowledged expert on German politics and society.
In 1888, following the death of his father, he returned to Skipton to succeed him as editor of the Pioneer. He also wrote articles for various other journals, as well as books, principally on Germany and its social policy. Dawson was therefore a natural choice to advise the Liberal government on setting up a social welfare system for the United Kingdom. He was hired by the Board of Trade, which was then under Lloyd George, initially on a temporary basis in 1909 and later for a permanent post. He consulted particularly with Emil Münsterberg, a leading German expert who advised several foreign governments on social security issues. Labour exchanges, pensions and national insurance were among the matters where Dawson contributed to government legislation.
During his time as a civil servant, Dawson published further important books on Germany. He served in the British delegation to the Versailles peace conference after World War I.
On his retirement in 1920, Dawson moved to Oxford and became a man of letters, continuing to write on Germany and other subjects. He was sufficiently well known for a letter addressed to "W. H. Dawson, Oxford" to reach him.
Several of Dawson's works became standard textbooks for university students in Germany, and have been reprinted since his death. His writings remain the object of study by German academics.[2]
Personal lifeedit
William Harbutt Dawson was born in Skipton, the third of eight children of John Dawson and Ann Hurd Harbutt (whose family included William Harbutt, the inventor of Plasticine). He was educated at local schools. He was married twice; both his wives were German. With his first wife Anna Clara Augusta née Gruetz he had a son. In 1913, the year after she died, he married Else, the only child of the late Emil Münsterberg; they had one son and three daughters.
Selected worksedit
History of Skipton (1882, also modern reprints and a CD version)
German Socialism and Ferdinand Lassalle: A Biographical History of German Socialistic Movements During This Century (1888)
Bismarck and State Socialism: An Exposition of the Social and Economic Legislation of Germany since 1870 (1891)
German Life in Town and Country (1901)
Matthew Arnold and His Relation to the Thought of Our Time (1904)
The German Empire 1867-1914 and the Unity Movement (1919, 2 vols) Vol. 1 Vol. 2
Richard Cobden and Foreign Policy: A Critical Exposition, with Special Reference to Our Day and Its Problems (1926)
Germany Under The Treaty a detailed criticism of the Versailles Treaty and its implications (1933)
Cromwell's Understudy: The Life and Times of General John Lambert and the Rise and Fall of the Protectorate (1938)
Referencesedit
^Dictionary of National Biography entry [1], accessed 4 April 2016.
^e.g. Jörg Filthaut, Dawson und Deutschland: das deutsche Vorbild und die Reformen im Bildungswesen, in der Stadtverwaltung und in der Sozialversicherung Grossbritanniens, 1880–1914, Peter Lang, Frankfurt, 1994 ISBN978-3631468265
External linksedit
Catalogue entry for Dawson archives at University of Birmingham
william, harbutt, dawson, july, 1860, march, 1948, british, journalist, civil, servant, author, acknowledged, expert, german, politics, society, contents, career, personal, life, selected, works, references, external, linkscareer, editdawson, first, craven, pi. William Harbutt Dawson 27 July 1860 7 March 1948 1 was a British journalist civil servant and author and an acknowledged expert on German politics and society Contents 1 Career 2 Personal life 3 Selected works 4 References 5 External linksCareer editDawson s first job was on the Craven Pioneer a Liberal newspaper founded by his father and based at Skipton in Craven then in the West Riding of Yorkshire The paper after several changes of title and a merger with its Conservative rival is now the Craven Herald amp Pioneer Dawson went to Germany to complete his journalistic training and later enrolled at Berlin University He became interested in the welfare state that was being pioneered in Bismarck s Germany In 1888 following the death of his father he returned to Skipton to succeed him as editor of the Pioneer He also wrote articles for various other journals as well as books principally on Germany and its social policy Dawson was therefore a natural choice to advise the Liberal government on setting up a social welfare system for the United Kingdom He was hired by the Board of Trade which was then under Lloyd George initially on a temporary basis in 1909 and later for a permanent post He consulted particularly with Emil Munsterberg a leading German expert who advised several foreign governments on social security issues Labour exchanges pensions and national insurance were among the matters where Dawson contributed to government legislation During his time as a civil servant Dawson published further important books on Germany He served in the British delegation to the Versailles peace conference after World War I On his retirement in 1920 Dawson moved to Oxford and became a man of letters continuing to write on Germany and other subjects He was sufficiently well known for a letter addressed to W H Dawson Oxford to reach him Several of Dawson s works became standard textbooks for university students in Germany and have been reprinted since his death His writings remain the object of study by German academics 2 Personal life editWilliam Harbutt Dawson was born in Skipton the third of eight children of John Dawson and Ann Hurd Harbutt whose family included William Harbutt the inventor of Plasticine He was educated at local schools He was married twice both his wives were German With his first wife Anna Clara Augusta nee Gruetz he had a son In 1913 the year after she died he married Else the only child of the late Emil Munsterberg they had one son and three daughters Selected works editHistory of Skipton 1882 also modern reprints and a CD version German Socialism and Ferdinand Lassalle A Biographical History of German Socialistic Movements During This Century 1888 Bismarck and State Socialism An Exposition of the Social and Economic Legislation of Germany since 1870 1891 German Life in Town and Country 1901 Matthew Arnold and His Relation to the Thought of Our Time 1904 The Evolution of Modern Germany 1908 The Vagrancy Problem 1910 Social Insurance in Germany 1912 Municipal Life and Government in Germany 1914 The German Empire 1867 1914 and the Unity Movement 1919 2 vols Vol 1 Vol 2 Richard Cobden and Foreign Policy A Critical Exposition with Special Reference to Our Day and Its Problems 1926 Germany Under The Treaty a detailed criticism of the Versailles Treaty and its implications 1933 Cromwell s Understudy The Life and Times of General John Lambert and the Rise and Fall of the Protectorate 1938 References edit Dictionary of National Biography entry 1 accessed 4 April 2016 e g Jorg Filthaut Dawson und Deutschland das deutsche Vorbild und die Reformen im Bildungswesen in der Stadtverwaltung und in der Sozialversicherung Grossbritanniens 1880 1914 Peter Lang Frankfurt 1994 ISBN 978 3631468265External links editCatalogue entry for Dawson archives at University of Birmingham Works by William Harbutt Dawson at Project Gutenberg Works by or about William Harbutt Dawson at Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Harbutt Dawson amp oldid 1176675053, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
