Born in Radcliffe, Watson worked for many years as an engineman near Wigan.
He became active in his local trade union, and in 1900 he led it into a merger with ten other local unions of enginemen, forming the Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales Colliery Enginemen's, Boilermen's and Brakesmen's Federation.
[1] Watson served as president of the National Federation of Colliery Enginemen and Boilermen for many years, and also as president of the National Federation of Enginemen, Stokers, and Kindred Trades.
[1] In 1907/1908, he also served on the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress.
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