ARTHUR TURNER WATSON

DEATH OF MR. A.T. WATSON

MEMBER OF FIRM OF AUCTIONEERS AND ESTATE AGENTS

The death occurred on Tuesday at his residence, Greystones, Porchester-road, Newbury, in his 78^th year, of Mr. Arthur Turner Watson. Mr. Watson had a serious illness some two or three years ago and latterly his health had been failing.

Mr. Watson was a member of the old-established firm of Messrs. Dreweatt, Watson and Barton, auctioneers and estate agents, of the Market place, Newbury.

Arthur Watson was the third son of the late Dr. Henry Watson, who practised in Newbury for many years and was Borough Coroner. With his two brothers he was educated at Newbury Grammar School and in 1885 he became a pupil with the firm of Messrs. Few and Dreweatt, auctioneers and estate agents. After three years, he went to London for further experience and then in 1890 returned as an assistant to Mr. Dreweatt. On March 1^st, 1898, he was taken into partnership by Mr. Thomas Dreweatt, the firm then becoming known as Dreweatt and Watson, until some years later, when it was joined by Mr. Harold Barton and took on its present title.

For many years Mr. Watson was a familiar figure in Newbury Cattle Market, where he sold the calves and pigs, and he also occupied the rostrum at furniture sales. For a long time he was also an institution at the annual Newbury Wool Sales.

If there was one quality which was outstanding in him it was his even temper and imperturbability. A few years ago at local furniture sales there was a certain dealer who loved to try and take a rise out of amateur buyers and even the auctioneer, but he never succeeded in getting “Uncle Arthur” to rise to the fly Mr. Watson was also most methodical and a model of punctuality. You could set your watch by the time he left his house in the morning to go to the office.

Like his father and his brother, Mr. Watson was made a Justice of the Peace for Newbury, but it was strange that the selection committee should have waited until 1932 before submitting his name to the Lord Chancellor for this honour. He retired from the active list of the Justices about the start of the war.

Mr. Watson was a bachelor and as a young man used to play cricket for Newbury.

His cremation is to be private, but a funeral service will be held at 12 o’clock Saturday at the Newtown-road Cemetery.

A.T. Watson continued

LAST MEMBER OF OLD NEWBURY FAMILY

The last member of a family honourably connected with Newbury for many years has died in the person of Mr. Arthur T. Watson, a member of the firm of Messrs. Dreweatt, Watson and Barton, auctioneers and estate agents.

Mr. Watson’s father, Dr. Henry Watson, who was Borough Coroner for over thirty years, was born in Loughborough three years before Queen Victoria came to the throne. He was one of three sons, all of whom entered either the medical or legal profession. As was the custom in those days, he started his medical training by being apprenticed to a Loughborough doctor, afterwards becoming a student at Guy’s Hospital. During the Crimean War, Dr Watson served in the trenches before Sevastopol and attended to the wounded after the Charge of Balaclava.

THREE OF FAMILY MADE J.P.s.

Dr. Watson came to Newbury upon purchasing the practice of the late Dr. Hemsted and first lived in the Broadway. Most people will remember him as living in the house on the west side of Northbrook-street, the ground floor of which is Messrs; Bateman’s, opticians, and the upper part the Bandarlog Café.

He had three sons: Dr. John Watson, who succeeded him in the practice, afterwards retiring to Jersey, where he died: Mr. Henry Watson who was a solicitor at Hereford, and Mr. Arthur Watson, who outlived both his brothers. All three went to Newbury Grammar School. Dr. Watson, Dr. John and Mr. Arthur were each made Justices of the Peace for Newbury.

Newbury Weekly News 22 February 1945

Mrs P. p. 28 NE 11

Buried 24 February 195 Book 1917 p. 257 no. 11656

See also Henry Watson, brother died 2 December 1908 aged 42.