In 1909, Mathieson retired from his post as Division Superintendent of HM Ordnance Survey in order to serve as chief surveyor on the Scottish scientific expedition to Svalbard, led by William Speirs Bruce.
In 1920-21 he led the surveying party on Prins Karls Forland, largely completing Bruce's survey.
"The Story of Antarctic Exploration 1716-1931", 1932
"The Story of Arctic Voyages and Explorations", 1934
"The Tragedy of the Scottish Highlands", Scottish Geographical Magazine, Volume 54, 1938
Mathieson, John (1938). "Work of the new committee on the place-names of Scotland". Scottish Geographical Magazine. 54 (3): 148–150. doi:10.1080/14702543808555324.
"Scottish Ghost-names and other place names: Some of the Difficulties in ascertaining their Meaning", Scottish Geographical Magazine, Volume 60, 1944
Inglis, Harry R.G.; Mathieson, John; Watson, C.B.Boog (1934). The early maps of Scotland, with an account of the Ordnance Survey. Edinburgh: Royal Scottish Geographical Society.