John Watts (military architect)

The 46th Regiment travelled in three ships, Windham and General Hewitt, departing England on 23 August 1813, and followed three months later by Three Bees.

The Governor was a prolific builder and, as the colony had a serious shortage of architects and engineers, he soon made use of Watts' architectural skills, asking him to design a new military hospital to be built on what is now called Observatory Hill in Sydney.

This building later functioned as Fort Street High School from at 1849 to 1975, and today is the headquarters of the New South Wales branch of the National Trust of Australia.

After eight months with no reply, Watts resigned as aide-de-camp, and the Governor granted his request for a two-year leave of absence from his regiment and duty, so that he could travel to England to follow up on his letter.

[4] After putting in some hurried work on the Parramatta military barracks, which were still under construction,[4] Watts sailed for England on 1 April 1819, on the transport ship Shipley.

Macquarie gave him official despatches to deliver, as well as various personal presents for certain members of the Royal Family and also the Secretary of State, Lord Bathurst.

During his stay in Scotland, Watts fell in love with Elizabeth Macquarie's niece, Jane Campbell, and made a proposal of marriage.

Watts resigned his commission in the army in 1824, and settled down to married life in Campbeltown, Scotland, where he and his wife Jane raised a family of seven children.

In 1834, while still living in Campbeltown, he sought an official position in Van Diemen's Land and wrote to Elizabeth Macquarie, asking if she would write a letter to the Home Secretary Henry Goulburn in support of his request.

Captain Watts died at the Bagot home "Nurney House" between Kingston Terrace and Stanley Street, North Adelaide in 1873, aged almost 87 years.