Commemorated: | |||
Awards & Titles: | |||
Early Life :
Born in Winston, Durham in 1886 to Henry and Hannah Watson. By 1911, aged 25 he is working as a Butcher living at home at Springfield Farm, Barnard Castle.An article appears in an unknown newspaper publication
" RICHARD WATSON, Butcher, 4, Bank, Barnard Castle. Wishes to thank his Customers for past favours, and hopes to have a continuance of their support. He has purchased for this Christmas season, a Choice Selection of BEEF, MUTTON and PORK..." The article goes on to show the origin of each slaughtered prize-winning animal.
A very long article exists in the Penrith Observer - 27th June 1916 "SWINE FEER IN NORTH WESTMORLAND - Important Prosecution at Appleby - At Appleby Police Court on Saturday Richard Watson, butcher, 2, Bank, Barnard Castle, was charged that he did unlawfully utter, knowning the same to have been fasely made, a declaration under the Swine Fever Movement Order, 1908, at Appleby on May 13th. Mr. Hicks, Kirkby Stephen, defended, and said he would plead guilty to a technical offence." It goes on, with the implication being that he was moving pigs as stock from outside a local restriction zone.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: Grenadier Guards |
| Action : |
Detail :
Although from the above, Richard Watson was a Butcher in June 1916, he must have joined up fairly soon after that as War Service is shown in the masonic record. Some might think that it was not patriotic duty, but the shame of the conviction which led him to volunteer for service.
The only clue to his military service found so far is recorded on the Imperial War Musuem site, that he served as a Private of the Grenadier Guards.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Barnard No. 1230 E.C. | Durham |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
1st May 1914 | 3rd July 1914 | 7th August 1914 |
His war service is recorded between 1916 -1918 after which he continues to pay his dues as a survivor of the war. To that end, he is not commemorated in the 1921 Book, The Masonic Roll of Honour, or the 1940 Scroll.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley