William Lambert Dobson

Dobson was born at Carr Hill,^[2] Gateshead, Durham, England, the elder son of John Dobson, a solicitor at Gateshead, and his first wife Mary Ann, née Atkinson (1811–1837).^[4] William was full brother to Frank^[1] and half-brother to Alfred and Henry Dobson.^[5]

One of Dobson's brothers Henry (1841 – 1918) was a premier of Tasmania. Another brother, Frank (1835–95) was a Solicitor-General of Victoria from 1881 to 1883, while a third brother, Alfred (1848–1908), was Attorney-General in the first Philip Fysh ministry from 1877 to 1878, leader of the opposition 1883 to 1884, and speaker of the house from July 1885 to 1887.