He left school at 13 and was variously a manual labourer, miner, navvy, bricklayer, plasterer, axeman, dairyman, farmer and commercial traveller before operating his own grocery shop in Melbourne from 1889 to 1895.

Watson was an outspoken opponent of the party system throughout his career, believing that it "prevented men giving their best service to the country and it made them decidedly dishonest, although they would rather it not be so".

[7][8] He held the seat until he retired in 1928, citing his frustration with the political system and his inability to "mitigate the sectional division in parliament".

[9][10] He was re-elected to the House in 1931 - defeating John Curtin - citing his concern about the governmental response to the Great Depression for his decision to return to politics.

However, he retired for a final time in 1934, stating that he had decided not to seek re-election unless it was proved to him that it "would be of some definite advantage to the people" if he were to be returned and this had not occurred.