John Dawson was educated at Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley, and the University of Leeds. He graduated from the Department of Colour Chemistry and Dyeing in 1961 before taking up an appointment as a research chemist with the then Yorkshire Dyeware & Chemical Co. Ltd, working primarily on the synthesis of new disperse and cationic dyes. He was appointed dye research manager in 1969 and elected to the board in 1976. He is now technical director of Yorkshire Chemicals plc, and also a member of the Society's Publications Committee.
Presented to the Society's Leicester Student Section on the 29 October 1980, to a joint meeting of the Society's West Riding Region and Leeds Student Section on 25 February 1982 and to the Society's Scottish Region on 2 March 1982.