John Dobson (1787-1865) was a 19th century British architect in the neoclassical tradition. He is most famous for Newcastle Central station (1850), whose distinctive arched trainshed and classical frontage inspired many other railway station designs.
Born in North Shields, near Newcastle upon Tyne, in 1787, Dobson trained in London under Royal Academician David Stephenson . He returned to Newcastle and established himself as a pioneer of the Gothic Revival movement, with his designs for St. Mary's Place and St. Thomas's Church (1830) near the city's Haymarket.
His other achievements in Newcastle include the terraced buildings of Eldon Square and Blackett Street (1830s), which were largely demolished in the 1970s to make way for a shopping centre. The ornately-decorated Royal Arcade (1832) on Pilgrim Street suffered a similar fate, although a replica was built inside the Swan House development which replaced it.
Dobson was also responsible for many country houses, neo-classical villas, and churches, both in the city and in the surrounding region. Jesmond Parish Church (1861) is one of Dobson's later designs, arguably more conservative in style than St. Thomas's.
Along with his contemporary Richard Grainger , Dobson is widely recognised as one of the most important architects of 19th century Newcastle. A street in the city, John Dobson Street, is named after him. He died in 1865 and was buried in Newcastle's General Cemetery, which he designed.
