born 17. April 1738 in Warton, Lancashire, England
died 2. Mai 1787 in Warton, Lancashire, England
died 2. Mai 1787 in Warton, Lancashire, England
born 17th April 1738 in Dale House, Warton, Lancashire, England
died 2nd May 1787 in Warton, Lancashire, England
Mary Watson was the eldest daughter of
Richard Watson
and Mary Clarkson.
She married
William Dickson
(I) at Warton, Lancashire on 5th February 1759.
They had 5 children,
Richard Watson
,
William
, James, Margaret und Mary.
∞
James Dickson
Mary Dickson
Margaret Dickson
William Dickson (II)
Richard Watson Dickson
William Dickson 1
∞
Mary Clarkson
Richard Watson
Mary Watson
1738
Birth of Mary Watson
An 18th century life. Mary Watson's biography
as shown by parish records of Warton, St.Oswald (s.right, about 1900) in chronological order:
1754
Birth of her younger sister Elisabeth
1755
Only 4 days after her fathers burial, the burial of her little sister Margaret followed who had died at the age of 9.
From then on until Mary Watson's marriage the Watson family probably consisted of women only, almost, because Mary's little brother Jervase was to die soon at the age of 10, so that of her siblings only her younger sisters survived.
1767
Birth and Death
of her third child James
1774
Birth of her fifth child Mary
1781
Death of her mother Mary née Clarkson
1787
Death of Mary Watson at the age of 49
1759
Death of her little brother Jervase at the age of 9
It looks like a very hard and burdensome life. All the more remarkable is what might be called the rich harvest that sprang from it in the next generations. What, though, may explain the success of her offspring is education, as John Humphreys' remarks suggest (see right).
1771
Birth of her fourth child Margaret
Mary Watson
John Humphreys about the history of education in the Watson and Dickson family of the 18th century:
The wills of William Watson (?-1735) and his son Richard Watson (1708- 1755) show that the father was illiterate (he signed with his mark) but the son was able to sign his own name, both on will and marriage bond.
In fact, Richard Watson evidently had a book collection, probably a library of some size as he had
his own book plate
made.
Thus we can imagine Mary Watson growing up in a house with reading matter, and her children also benefiting. Acquiring the art of reading and writing seems to have been possible when equipped only with religious texts, but it can't have been as educational.
I find these insights into everyday life quite fascinating, though many questions stay unanswered. Where, for instance, did
Richard Watson Dickson
get his basic education which enabled him to attend university, become a Medicinae Doctor and a prolific author of international reputation?
Warton
Left: Warton lay in a border region of three counties: Lancaster, Westmorland and York, and very close to Morecambe Bay, part of the Irish Sea.
© Kurt Müller 2022
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