Name J. Dixon | ||
John Arthur Dixon (18 June 1897 - 19 May 1958) was the British founder of the eponymous manufacturer of greetings cards and postcards.
Dixon was born at Cross Hills, Keighley, Yorkshire, the eldest son of Charles C. Dixon.
In 1926, he moved to Shanklin on the Isle of Wight, where he bought a small printing business. Dixon was a keen photographer, and in 1937 he produced his first Christmas cards. From 1947, he was producing postcards, initially under contract for W. J. Nigh & Sons Ltd, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, and soon after on his own account.
In 1951, production began at an 87,000 sq ft factory was built at Newport, Isle of Wight, leased from the Ministry of Aviation. The factory was a former aircraft hangar at Parkhurst Forest.
In 1951, more than 14 million greetings cards were produced and in 1955, nearly 30 million postcards. In 1958, the company began producing guidebooks.
Dixon died on 19 May 1958 at the Royal Isle of Wight County Hospital, Ryde.