He was born at Kingston upon Hull in 1761, and baptised at Holy Trinity Church there on 26 August.
Educated at Hull grammar school under Joseph Milner, he went into trade as a merchant.
[1][2] Watson's interests included botany, entomology, chemistry, and mineralogy, and he was a landscape-painter.
He traversed the East Riding in his gig, systematically botanising, and in 1812 was involved in setting up the Hull botanic garden.
[1] In 1824–5 Watson issued, in twenty-four parts, Dendrologia Britannica; or Trees and Shrubs that will live in the Open Air of Britain throughout the year (London, 2 vols.