Born: Raylton Dixon was born on 8th July 1838 in Newcastle. He was the second son of Jeremiah Dixon of Ambleside, who worked for a bank, and Mary Frank.
Educated: He was educated privately, and then entered an apprenticeship with a firm of shipbuilders on Tyneside.
Married: In 1863 Raylton Dixon married Elizabeth Walker, daughter of Robert Walker of Glasgow
Family: Raylton and Elizabeth Dixon had two sons and six daughters.
Home: His first job was at Walker near Newcastle. In 1888 he purchased Gunnergate Hall in Marton and lived there for the remainder of his life.
Known for: In 1859 Raylton Dixon became manager of the old Rake Kimber shipyard in Middlesbrough. In 1862 he bought the yard began to expand his business. In 1887 he took over a site not far from the Dock Point in Middlesbrough, which he called the Cleveland Dockyard. Within two years it became the most productive shipyard on the River Tees. Sir Raylton Dixon and Company Ltd. built some of the largest ships that had hitherto been built on the Tees. He was mayor of Middlesbrough in 1888-89 and was knighted in 1890. By the time of his death, Sir Raylton Dixon had built more than 500 ships at the Cleveland Dockyard.
Died: Sir Raylton Dixon died on 28th July 1901 at home in Gunnergate Hall.
Further Information: “Who Was Who in 19th Century Cleveland” David M.Tomlin and Mary Williams (1987)
“The Engineer” August 1901