Alaric Alexander Watts

After leaving school he made his living as a teacher for a short time, and in 1818–19 was part of the staff of the New Monthly Magazine in London.

[3][4] In 1822, leaving his position at the Gazette, he was made editor of the Leeds Intelligencer (1822–23), in the columns of which he was one of the first to advocate measures for protecting workers in factories against accidents from machinery (see occupational safety).

Under his ownership, The Literary Magnet changed its emphasis from prose to poetry, and he managed to get contributions from a number of popular poets of the day, including John Clare, Mary Howitt, Thomas Hood, Felicia Hemans, and his brother-in-law Jeremiah Holmes Wiffen.

[5] In 1827 he assisted in founding the Standard as a sub-editor, while the first editor was Stanley Lees Giffard; and in 1833 he started the United Service Gazette, which he edited for eight years.

Watts died in London on 5 April 1864 and is buried in Highgate Cemetery, against the northern boundary wall (above the catacombs).