He was brought up in WhittinghamUK Census, 1861 (RG9) piece:3894, folio:53 page:1 and was educated at the local village school, which he left at the age of 13 to become apprentice in his father's drapery and grocery shop in the village. In 1862, his father opened a second shop in Coquetdale House, on the High Street in Rothbury (about 6 miles south of Whittingham). David entered into a legal partnership with his father and moved to set up the new store under the name of "Dixon & Sons".
