Phyllis Dawson

Phyllis Dawson was Dr John Quinn's assistant at the Wenley Moor nuclear research facility.

After Quinn made first contact with the Silurians under Wenley Moor, he told only Dawson of his find. When UNIT arrived at the facility and started to search the caves, Dawson began to worry but Quinn reassured her.

Dawson later found the Third Doctor and Liz Shaw searching Quinn's office. The Doctor tried to make Dawson tell him about what Quinn had done, but she refused and left the facility and went to Quinn's cottage. She told him how she had found the Doctor in his office and tried to persuade Quinn to stop what he was doing. Quinn refused, and told her about the Silurian he had prisoner. Dawson told him it could kill him, but Quinn said it was scientist and could give him the Silurians knowledge. Dawson then left.

Dawson returned to the cottage and found Quinn's body. She advocated UNIT to attack the Silurians in force and later caught the Silurian virus. (TV: Doctor Who and the Silurians)

Behind the scenes
Dawson's first name Phyllis is only given in the novelisation, and is reused in the novel The Scales of Injustice.