William Watson, Baron Watson
Encyclopedia
William Watson, Baron Watson PC
, LL.D (25 August 1827 – 14 September 1899) was a Scottish lawyer and Conservative Party
politician. He was Lord Advocate
, the most senior Law Officer
in Scotland, from 1876 to 1880, and was then appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
.
. He was educated privately and studied at the Universities of Glasgow
and Edinburgh
. He was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates
in 1851 and appeared for the defence of Dr Edward William Pritchard
, the poisoner, in 1865.
, one of the Scottish Law Officers
and deputy to the Lord Advocate
, in 1874, and was elected Dean of the Faculty of Advocates
in 1875. In 1876, the Lord Advocate, Edward Gordon
, was appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
(Lord Gordon of Drumearn) and resigned as Lord Advocate and Member of Parliament
(MP) for Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities
. Watson won the ensuing by-election and was appointed Lord Advocate.. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor
in 1878.
Watson did not stand for re-election at the 1880 general election
, and was instead appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
as Baron Watson, of Thankerton in the County of Lanark.
in South Kensington
, and was a member of the Athenæum
and the Carlton Club
.
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, LL.D (25 August 1827 – 14 September 1899) was a Scottish lawyer and Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician. He was Lord Advocate
Lord Advocate
Her Majesty's Advocate , known as the Lord Advocate , is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament...
, the most senior Law Officer
Law Officers of the Crown
The Law Officers of the Crown are the chief legal advisers to the Crown, and advise and represent the various governments in the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth Realms. In England and Wales, Northern Ireland and most Commonwealth and colonial governments, the chief law officer of the...
in Scotland, from 1876 to 1880, and was then appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly known as Law Lords, were appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the House of Lords of the United Kingdom in order to exercise its judicial functions, which included acting as the highest court of appeal for most domestic matters...
.
Early life
Watson was born in 1827, the son of the Reverend Thomas Watson, in Covington, LanarkshireLanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
. He was educated privately and studied at the Universities of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
and Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
. He was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
in 1851 and appeared for the defence of Dr Edward William Pritchard
Edward William Pritchard
Dr Edward William Pritchard was an English doctor who was convicted of murdering his wife and mother-in-law by poisoning. He was also suspected of a third murder, of a servant, but was never tried for it. He was the last person to be publicly executed in Glasgow.-Early years:Pritchard was born in...
, the poisoner, in 1865.
Career
Watson was appointed Solicitor General for ScotlandSolicitor General for Scotland
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Lord Advocate, whose duty is to advise the Crown and the Scottish Government on Scots Law...
, one of the Scottish Law Officers
Law Officers of the Crown
The Law Officers of the Crown are the chief legal advisers to the Crown, and advise and represent the various governments in the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth Realms. In England and Wales, Northern Ireland and most Commonwealth and colonial governments, the chief law officer of the...
and deputy to the Lord Advocate
Lord Advocate
Her Majesty's Advocate , known as the Lord Advocate , is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament...
, in 1874, and was elected Dean of the Faculty of Advocates
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
in 1875. In 1876, the Lord Advocate, Edward Gordon
Edward Gordon, Baron Gordon of Drumearn
Edward Strathearn Gordon, Baron Gordon of Drumearn was a Scottish judge and politician.Educated at the University of Glasgow and Edinburgh University he was called to the Scottish bar in 1835. He was appointed Solicitor General for Scotland from 1866 to 1867, and Lord Advocate from 1867 to 1868...
, was appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly known as Law Lords, were appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the House of Lords of the United Kingdom in order to exercise its judicial functions, which included acting as the highest court of appeal for most domestic matters...
(Lord Gordon of Drumearn) and resigned as Lord Advocate and Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities
Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities, in Scotland, was a university constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until 1918...
. Watson won the ensuing by-election and was appointed Lord Advocate.. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1878.
Watson did not stand for re-election at the 1880 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1880
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
, and was instead appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly known as Law Lords, were appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the House of Lords of the United Kingdom in order to exercise its judicial functions, which included acting as the highest court of appeal for most domestic matters...
as Baron Watson, of Thankerton in the County of Lanark.
Personal life
Watson married Margaret Bannatyne in 1868, and the pair had five sons and a daughter. He lived at 20 Queen's GateQueen's Gate
Queen's Gate is a major street in South Kensington, London, England. It runs from Kensington Road south, intersecting with Cromwell Road, and then on to Old Brompton Road....
in South Kensington
South Kensington
South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
, and was a member of the Athenæum
Athenaeum Club, London
The Athenaeum Club, usually just referred to as the Athenaeum, is a notable London club with its Clubhouse located at 107 Pall Mall, London, England, at the corner of Waterloo Place....
and the Carlton Club
Carlton Club
The Carlton Club is a gentlemen's club in London which describes itself as the "oldest, most elite, and most important of all Conservative clubs." Membership of the club is by nomination and election only.-History:...
.