Lindsay Watson

Tailor near the jetty Lindsay Watson

John William WATSON, tailor, and Ellen Elizabeth PEARCH married in Stockton-On-Tees, England in 1875. They lived with John's mother in Middlesbrough where their first son was born in 1879. That year John left his family and immigrated to New Zealand where he established himself as a tailor in Invercargill. In 1881, John's mother, his wife Ellen and his two-year-old son joined him. John operated his business from the family home, which for two decades was close to the Invercargill jetty so he could sail his yachts. From 1882 until 1889 John and Ellen had a daughter and four more sons, one of whom died in infancy. John managed to support his family by his tailoring business during the poor economic conditions of the Long Depression. As the economy improved John opened a tailoring shop in the town centre that employed about nine workers. However, a disastrous fire in 1903 nearly ruined the enterprise. Consequently John underpaid his employees but was discovered and charged under the Factories Act 1891. In the face of competition from mass-produced garments he kept the business afloat until he retired about 1920. John died in 1923 and Ellen in 1950. One of their sons served in World War 1, was wounded, married in England and never returned. John and Ellen's three remaining sons married and produced 20 grandchildren who survived to adulthood. Five grandsons served in World War 2.