- Harry Watts
Infobox Person
name = Harry Watts
image_size = 200px
caption = Harry Watts - Rescuer
birth_name =
birth_date = birth date|1826|June|15
birth_place =Sunderland
death_date = 1900
death_place = Sunderland
death_cause =
resting_place =
resting_place_coordinates =
residence =
nationality =
other_names =
known_for = Saving lives
education = Left school at nine
alma_mater =
employer = Merchant Navy
occupation = Sailor and diver
home_town =
title =
salary =
networth =
height =
weight =
term =
predecessor =
successor =
party =
boards =
religion =Temperance
spouse = Sarah Ann Thompson
partner =
children = Two
parents = William and Elizabeth Watts
relations =
website =
footnotes =
Harry Watts
Early life
Harry Watts was born into the poverty of Sunderland’s East End. His parents, William and Elizabeth Watts, had five children – Harry being the youngest. The family lived at Silver Street, where their one room was often flooded due to a nearby well, which overflowed during heavy rain.
Harry’s father, a
Life at sea
Harry signed up as an
Details of Harry’s life are documented in a book published in 1911, "Harry Watts – Sailor and Diver" by "Alfred Spencer". Mr Spencer records the second rescue as follows: "“Harry picked up the end of a rope and jumped overboard. He swam to the captain, fastened the rope round him and helped him to the ladder which was hanging over the ship’s side.”"
By the time Harry was 19, he had saved five people from drowning. He did not, however, receive any financial reward for his bravery. While on shore-leave, Harry married his first wife, Rebecca Smith, in 1846, before returning to the sea. The following year, he rescued six foreign seamen from a sinking ship in
Career change
Harry signed up as a diver with the River Wear Commissioners in 1861, a role he held until 1896. As a rescue sideline, he also joined Sunderland Lifeboat and Life Brigade services, where he assisted in saving a further 120 people. By now he was married to his second wife, Sarah Ann Thompson, had two children and was a born-again
His job as a
The bravery Harry had shown throughout his life was finally recognised in the late 1860s, when several medals were bestowed on him. However, these were stolen in 1878, after Harry lent the collection to the James Williams Street Christian Lay Church for an exhibition at its annual bazaar. It was later discovered the thief had given them to his daughter to play with, who threw them into the fire after growing bored.
The people of Sunderland rallied round to pay for replacements, and Harry was able to wear them with pride once again, before presenting them to Sunderland Museum. Today Harry’s memory – and bravery – lives on at the museum, where the collection is still on show.
The people saved by Harry
These incidents occurred in Sunderland, unless otherwise stated.
*1839: Richard Nicholson, a fellow apprentice, who fell overboard in
*1840: J. Luckley, the captain of his ship, after a canoe capsized at
*1844: A lad named Watson, who was washed overboard on the
*1845: Two men rescued from a sinking
*1847: Six men pulled from a smashed ship in
*1852: A boy named Paul, saved from drowning at Sunderland’s South Pier.
*1852: A boy named Maughan, pulled from the river at Smurthwaite’s Wharf.
*1853: Saved a woman from committing suicide at Hendon beach.
*1853: Rescued a girl who had fallen into a canal in
*1853: Pulled a trimmer, William Smith, to safety from
*1854: Saved a boy at
*No date: Jumped overboard to save two boys from drowning at the South Outlet.
*1863: Rescued a boy and girl after they fell from, the quay near Panns Ferry.
*1866: A boy called Smith was saved from Graving Dock after falling from a dredger.
*1866: A boy called Hall saved from The River Wear Commissioners’ Quay.
*1867: An unnamed boy rescued from the river at the Custom House Quay.
*1868: John Fox from Mill Street saved after falling from a boat into the Mark Quay.
*1869: James Watt, a shipwright, saved from the South Dock basin after falling in.
*1870: Watts helped save eight children and three adults from a capsized pleasure boat. On the same day, he also rescued a man called Robert Wilson from the river.
*1870: A boy who fallen into the river near the Tide Gauge Jetty.
*1875: Harry almost drowned rescuing schoolboy Edward Boulton from the river.
*1876: A boy called Harry Dobson was saved from the river.
*1877: Watts saved John Lonsdale, dragged overboard from a keel by a heavy chain.
*1881: Jumped into the Graving Dock to rescue a lad named Jones, who was drowning.
*1884: Rescued a boy called James Riseborough, who had fallen into the outer basin.
*1892: At the age of 66, Harry made his last rescue – going to the aid of a boy called Fatherley, who had fallen into the South Dock.
Medals and certificates won by Harry
* A bronze medal and Honorary Clasp of the
* A gold and bronze medal from Diamond Swimming Club and Humane Society.
* A gold medal presented by Mr Richardson, for "searching the River Wear and recovering the body of his grandson, 1875."
* A silver medal presented by the Sailors of the East End of Sunderland in 1877 for his many kind services.
* A gold medal from the United Temperance Crusaders for his courage in saving 33 people from drowning – 1875.
* A silver star medal – presented to mark his rescue of ‘many people’ in 1878.
* A bronze medal from the Board of Trade for saving lives.
* A parchment certificate from the
* A certificate from the Diamond Swimming Club and Humane Society in 1868 for "saving the life of a boy in the River Wear, he having previously saved 24 lives".
* An Honorary Testimonial of the
* A Vellum Certificate of the
* A certificate from the Royal Humane Society for saving lives, presented in 1892.
External links
* Tay Bridge disaster - mentioning Harry Watts: [http://secret-bottletop.com/diving/Script1/p7.html]
* Photo of Harry in The
* Article on new book featuring Harry, "Characters and Customs of Old Sunderland": [http://www.sunderlandecho.com/daily-feature/Bringing-old-sunderland-back-to.2133082.jp]
* Sunderland Museum - display on Harry: [http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/museums-national/sunderland-museum-and-winter-gardens/]
* Old book on Harry, published 1911, "Harry Watts – Sailor and Diver" by "Alfred Spencer": [http://www.rhs.ac.uk/bibl/wwwopac.exe?DATABASE=catalo&LANGUAGE=0&OPAC_URL=&SUCCESS=&%250=3259311]
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