Son of solicitor, John Smallman Robson, and his wife Isabella, Briton Smallman Robson joined the High School at the age of 6, and remained there for over 10 years.

He was a high academic achiever and, on leaving school at 16, went to the Durham College of Science with the intention of studying medicine at the Durham College of Medicine.

He emerged with an Bachelor of Medicine degree, and went on to become a surgeon.

His training started at the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, in Gosport, Hampshire in May, 1904, and a year later he took up his first official post as surgeon aboard HMS Skipjack.

In November 1906 he was transferred to the much larger HMS Suffolk.

1908 saw Briton return to land, and serve as surgeon at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Devonport, but he was back at sea on HMS Halcyon in January 1910, and HMS Alacrity in October, 1910, on which vessel he served until his promotion to to Staff Surgeon in 1913.

The promotion was consequent on his return to the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar, where his primary role was the instruction of "sick berth staff", a role that saw him through the first two years of the war.

In May, 1916, Staff Surgeon Robson joined HMS Birmingham, and in January, 1917, transferred to HMS Magic (later renamed HMS Classic) as Surgeon Lieutenant Commander. On 1-Jun-1917 he was promoted to Surgeon Commander.

After the war, as Surgeon Commander, he served on board the aircraft carrier HMS Pegasus, then returned to land at HMS Vivid, the name given to the Devonport Navy Barracks.

He retired on his 50th birthday, on 11-Aug-1930, as Surgeon Captain, just one rank below Rear-Admiral.

Briton died of pneumonia in the Northern Infirmary, Inverness, on 19-Dec-1947.