Richard Watson (16 March 1833 – 2 Oct 1891),[1] known as the Bard of Teesdale was an English poet from Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham.
At the age of six, he began attending the company's school, established for workers’ children, where he received a basic education under schoolmaster John Hyslop.
His father's death at the age of 47 left 14-year-old Richard as part of a struggling household, supporting his widowed mother, two brothers, and six sisters.
Much of his early work was not written down, but his talent became widely recognised after the publication of Dialogue between the Tower and Bridge in the Teesdale Mercury.
His style, influenced by Robert Burns, blended humour and philosophy, capturing the character of rural life in Teesdale.