Social Victorians/People/Watson

Also Known As

• Family name: Watson
• High degree of uncertainty about who Mr. Watson or Major Watson might be. The Times says Meyer Watson, but as an artist and original, he's very different from almost everybody else at the party.

Timeline

1897 July 2, a Mr. Meyer Watson or a Major Watson (#600 on the list of people who were present) attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball.

Costume at the Duchess of Devonshire's 2 July 1897 Fancy-dress Ball

The Times reported that Mr. Meyer Watson and the Gentlewoman reported that Major Watson attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball. Major Watson wore a "grey satin tunic elaborately embroidered in steel, with slash showing a white silk underdress; ruby velvet trunks trimmed to correspond; black satin cloak; large hat with feathers."

A caricature portrait (right) by Leslie Ward ("Spy") suggests a Mr. Alfred E. T. Austin who was prominent at this time.

Demographics

• Nationality:

Family

Relations

The Badminton — Alfred E. T. Watson — by "Spy," Vanity Fair, 14 January 1897

Notes and Questions

Watsons at social events of this time and reported on in the papers:

• Meyer Watson was a person, or at least Meyer Watson was one of the names he used: a photographer who traveled at least to some degree in these circles like the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George V and Queen Mary. Wikipedia identifies him as Adolph de Meyer.
• Alfred E. T. Watson, Esq. London, T. Lindsay Watson, Esq. Hawick, and William Clarence Watson, Esq., F.R.G.S. London were on the U.K. Welcome Committee for the 1887 American Exhibition in London, which featured Buffalo Bill's Wild West.
• Mr. Alfred Edward Thomas Watson is Number 667 in Vanity Fair's "Men of the Day" series on 14 January 1897. His caricature (above right) by Leslie Ward ("Spy") suggests this Watson was prominent at this time.
• Baron Meyer Watson is listed among a small group of other non-British barons in the newspaper report on a dinner and ball at Londonderry House hosted by the Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry.
• A Mr. Watson attended the 30 May 1899 funeral of William Baliol Brett, 1st Viscount Esher; the newspaper account says Mr. Watson was the late Lord Esher's private secretary.
• Major William Donald Paul Watson-Gandy (1872–1947)
• Mr. Watson attended a garden party at Marlborough House hosted by the Prince and Princess of Wales on 9 July 1891.
• Sir Thomas Watson and Miss Watson attended a Garden Party at Marlborough House for Queen Victoria on 13 July 1882.
• Sir Thomas Watson and Miss Watson attended a Garden Party at Marlborough House on 14 July 1881.