Henry Robertson Watson

1. "James Watson (d. 1808) of Crantit, Orkney, was factor for the estates of Lord Dundas. He married Christian Robertson (1780-1842) whose family (Robertsons of Kiltearn) had many connections with Demerara. Four of their five sons - Harry (Henry) Robertson Watson (1801-36), Andrew Watson (1803-37), William Robertson Watson and Peter Miller Watson (1805-69) - went out the Demerara, where the two older brothers died. The fifth brother, James [b1809], became a lawyer in London."

2. Henry Robertson Watson was born in Crantit, 08/06/1801 and died in Demerara 13/02/1836.

3. Henry's father James Watson died in 1808 and on 26/07/1811 his mother remarried, to Thomas Stuart Traill of Turlot. Their eldest child and Henry's half-sister Ann (1812-1873) married George Parker (1806-1860, q.v.), a partner in the West Indian trading company Sandbach, Tinne & Co. (q.v.).

1. David Alston's website, 'Slaves and Highlanders', http://www.spanglefish.com/slavesandhighlanders/index.asp?pageid=325719 [accessed 18/10/2013].

2. The genealogies of the families of Douglas of Mulderg and Robertson of Kindeace (Dingwall, A.M. Ross & Co., 1895), p. 23, available via Open Library at http://archive.org/stream/genealogyoffamil00doug#page/24/mode/2up [accessed 18/10/2013].

3. Ibid., pp. 23-24. Brenda M. White, ‘Traill, Thomas Stewart (1781–1862)’ ODNB. Associated manuscripts: National Library of Scotland GB233/MS.19329-19336, Papers of Thomas Stuart Traill; Liverpool Record Office, 920 PAR/22 Parker Family Papers which includes letters between Thomas Stuart Trail, Christian Robertson and their children.

We are grateful to David Alston for his assistance in compiling this entry.