WATSONS IN POLAND
Before we look at Watsons who move to Poland, lets first get this in genealogical perspective using both a list from an unknown hand my father's notes.
Family tree from copy of hand written list. Unknown author / unknown added notes (in bold). Where not in italics and are not coloured I have added text. In some cases this is my best guess at the handwriting, but with help from the internet - JW.
Alex. Scott Watson & Agnes Kedslie were married at Warsaw the 19th June 1834 by the Rev. W Smith.
James Watson Watson born 5th April 1835 at Dubrowa, Poland. Baptised at Tarnowitz (Tarnowskie Góry) (in “Ober”, Schlesien) Silesia by the Rev W. Weber the 6th September 1835. (My great grandfather).
Andrew Kedslie Watson born at Dubrowa Poland, 11th March 1836.Baptised at Bedzin, Poland by the Rev W. Spira the 13th March 1836. Died 2nd April 1836 at Bedzin.
Alexander Skirving Watson born at Dubrowa Poland, 17th June, 1837. Baptised at Königshütte Ober Schlesien by the Rev. D. Henry Lippert the 23rd July 1857. Died 29 November 1865, buried Brompton Cemetery London. It was Alexander who set up in Hong Kong.
Agnes Catherine Watson, born at Dubrowa Poland, 27th Dec: 1838. Baptised at Bedzin by the Rev. D. Weber from Tarnowitz10th March 1839. It was Agnes who married RTC Scott in the Shetlands.
Thomas Talbot Watson born at Dubrowa Poland, 30th August 1840. Baptised at Dubrowa (Huta Bankowa) (This last name is a manufacturer of railway wheels – significant for this family) by the Rev. Dr. Jachs Wielum, 20th September 1840. (The family were close friends with Talbots in Poland).
Janette Elizabeth Maria Watson (The tree records her as “Janette Marion”) born at Dubrowa Poland 15th September 1841. Baptised at Dubrowa (Huta Bankowa) by the Rev. Dr. Jachs Wielum,19th September 1841. Died 26th Febr 1846. (The tree records her death as 15th September 1843. Is this the same person?).
Alice Harriet Watson born at Dubrowa, Poland, 1st April 1845. Baptised at Dubrowa (Huta Bankowa)by the Rev Mr Lembke, Wielum, 25th May 1845. Died 3rd October 1845 & buried in the Protestant Burying Ground (date unclear).
Alexander Scott Watson, Died at 29th August 1846. Buried in Königshütte Burying Ground, Pnirfsia.(?).
Alexander Skirving Watson Died at Brompton 29th Nov. 1865 & buried in the Brompton Cemetery.
Agnes – widow of A. S. Watson, died at Plymouth 8th Sept 1871 buried in Plymouth Cemetery 12th Sept
Thomas Talbot Watson Died 10th Nov 1911 at Westfield N. Y. - U.S.
For more on Alexander and his wife Agnes, see WATSON ALEXANDER AND AGNES IN POLAND
The Watsons in Poland will eventually lead us to Watsons in Hong Kong and Macau, but for the moment let's look at their life in Poland.
A useful reference for this is the book "Agents of Change : Scots in Poland 1800-1918" by Mona Kedslie McLeod. Tuckhill Press, East Linton, Scotland.
The Scotland - Poland link is surprisingly old, going back centuries, and the book opens with reasons. Contact and influence was mainly commercial, but also intellectual as skills were encouaged to Poland. Opportunities opened up for Scots that were not as available back home. This was to lead to numbers of Scots settling there. What is significant to us though are the 19th and early 20th centuries.
In the 19th Century the Kingdom of Prussia and Imperial Russia were exercising their expansionist ambitions and rivalries across Europe. In the process Poland fell behind economically and in development. Scots were attracted there to instill skills, at times benefiting the local population and at others having to be cautious as the Poles kept up hopes for restoration of Polish independence.
The book describes both opportunities and then challenges under Russian occupation. The Scots seem to take care not to actually become involved directly in resistance, but there are accounts of covering for the local population.
Some Watsons significant to us are recorded in the book.
Page 48 notes :
"The most significant figure was Alexander Watson. His family owned land at
Priestfield near Edinburgh. .....Alexander's brother Thomas was farming on
the Dowpuda estate in 1825 and probably persuaded him to come out to
Poland......appointed to the Bank Polski to be an engineer in charge of
factories and foundaries in Silesia. He was an expert on steam power...."
Page 49
"He died a few months later and by the 1860s his widow Agnes Kedslie [Watson] had
returned to Scotland...."
Page 142
"....Alexander's son went to India...opportunities seem to have been limited
in Poland....."
In my father Brian Watson's notes:
"Alexander Scott Watson emigrated to Poland at the age of 24 years as an
Engineer where he joined the Polish Government Service.
In a Bible presented by James to Alexander Scott [Watson] upon his departure to
Poland the following is written:
"My son, hear the instruction of Thy father, and forsake not the law of Thy
Mother. (Proverbs 1:V.8)
Such is the sincere prayer of affectionate Parents in presenting this Bible
to Alexander Scott Watson, a dutiful and affectionate Son.
Haddington 4 May 1834.
James Watson
Janet Watson"
My father was always convinced that Alexander Scott Watson was involved in the development of the railways in Poland. The Polish Bank had evidently initiated a project to build a railway between Warsaw and Dabrova and it is quite possible that he was although I can't find definitive proof. Again from my father's notes : After the defeat of Napoleon, Poland had been severely pressured by the Germans, Russia and Austrian Governments on three sides. The railway was built but did not produce the desired results.
We have little information about the intervening years but in a letter dated 10th June 1844 A S W wrote to his parents from Dabrowa pointing out the situation that had developed. This is the only letter extant of what were apparently regular letters between the Son and his Parents. He complained of being extremely busy "with our new direction; - that although I may say the workshops are next thing to shut as ther eare not more than a dozen men working we have more to do in the office than when I had to hundred men in employment."
The whole governmental financial control of the project seemed to be in disarray, with the post of Director vacant. A S W writes of his Co-adjutor having been advanced to the post of Director of the Building Division in Warsaw and not being replaced. He refers to him as "a bred Russian soldier and has no further recommendation to the situation that he holds that he is a favourite of the Emperor's and of Prince Paskewitsch".
In her book Mona Kedslie Mcleod gives a good background to the long relationship between Scotland and Poland through to WWI. I also found this Wiki description https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congress_Poland of the situation at the time of our Watsons there ie the mid-19th century useful. The socio-economic climate that attracted them began to become less favourable and some began to look elsewhere such as Plymouth and Hong Kong.
My father's notes include various Watsons, but generally leaves off the family name presuming that we add Watson in each case. Most will have a middle name from a predecessor's surname. Eg Alexander Scott should read as Alexander Scott Watson. The following is based on a handwritten family tree list of unknown hand possibly by James Watson. (This concurs with the inherited family tree diagramme - except for Janette).
"Alexander Scott Watson and Agnes (Kedslie) had several children;
James Watson Watson born 5th April 1835 at Dobrowa...........
Andrew Kedslie Watson born 11th March 1836 at Dobrowa.............
Alexander Skirving Watson born 17th June 1837 at Dobrowa. He was baptised at
Konigshutte (in ober Schlisien) Silesia by the Rev. Dr Henry Lippert on 23rd
July 1837. He died in London on 29th November 1865.
Agnes Catherine Watson born 27th December 1838 at Dobrowa.... (the tree diagramme records her as marrying Robt Chas Scott M.D. R.N.)
Thomas Talbot Watson born 30th August at Dobrowa.....
Janette Elizabeth Maria Watson born 15th September 1841 at Dobrowa.... (This person is recorded as "Janette Marion" on the tree diagramme).
Alice Harriet Watson born 1st April 1845 at Dobrowa...."
Photographs of Agnes Kedslie and Agnes Stevenson in Warsaw. Their relationship appears to be through the Garvie family. Agnes Kedslie bceoming Agnes Watson. These were left to me through my father's family in South Africa, but unfortunately I don't know how they came to be in that collection. I suspect from Alexander Richards Watson. It includes others of British origin in Warsaw and those they must have been aquaintances with eg Mr and Mrs Frankenstein. There are even photos of Lanqiewicz and Mrs Postovostoff separate photos, but labelled toghether as Polish Revolution 1863. In the mood of the time, this is surprising to see. And there are photos of royalty of many countries in Europe from the King and Queen of Prussia 1861 to Garibaldi. Albums then were more like DIY exncyclopedias than personal memories and these would have been bought from vendors and collected.
I have not followed the fortunes of all of our Watsons from this period, but we know of two of them :
- James Watson Watson who returns to England and joins the navy - my great grandfather.
- Alexander Skirving Watson who goes to Hong Kong
Each is to be found in their own segment.
Through the BREXIT process so much is said about controlling immigration and Poles have been one of the groups concerned. Poles have an estabished presence in the UK most conspicuously dating from WWII, athough with precedents, but the concern continues. It is ironic that Scots were once enouraged there in very significant numbers.
