Dawkins, began boring for coal in the neighbourhood of Dover, and the work was continued until 1891, at the expense of the Channel Tunnel Company. Sufficient evidence was obtained to justify the sinking of a trial shaft and the formation of companies for further exploration. Watkin also proposed a railway tunnel between Scotland and Ireland and a ship canal in Ireland between Dublin and Galway. His passion for enterprise further led him to become chairman in 1889 of a company to erect at Wembley Park, Middlesex, a 'Watkin' tower on the model of the Eiffel tower in Paris. Owing to lack of funds only a single stage was completed; this was opened to the public in 1896, and was demolished in 1907.
Watkin was returned to Parliament as liberal member for Great Yarmouth in 1857, but was unseated on petition. He sat as member for Stockport from 1864 to 1868, when he was defeated. In 1869 he unsuccessfully contested East Cheshire, but was member for Hythe from 1874 to 1895. His political views remained liberal until 1885, when he became a unionist, but he often acted independently of any party. He was a member of the Manchester City Council from 1859 to 1862 and high sheriff of Cheshire in 1874. He was knighted in 1868 and created a baronet in 1880. He died at Rose Hill, Northenden, Cheshire, on 13 April 1901, and was buried at Northenden parish church.
Watkin married in 1845 Mary Briggs (d. 8 March 1887), daughter of Jonathan Mellor of Oldham, by whom he had a son, Alfred Mellor Watkin, M.P. for Grimsby (1877-80), and his successor in the baronetcy, and a daughter Harriette, wife of H. W. Worsley-Taylor, K.C., of Moreton Hall, Whatley. His second wife, whom he married in 1893, when she was eighty-one years old, was Ann (d. 26 May 1896), daughter of William Little, and widow of Herbert Ingram, M.P., founder of the 'Illustrated London News.' A portrait of Watkin by (Sir) Hubert von Herkorner was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1887. A cartoon portrait by 'Ape' (i.e. Carlo Pellegrini [q. v.], who also painted his portrait in oils) appeared in ' Vanity Fair' in 1875.
Besides the works named above he wrote:
- 'Absolom Watkin Fragment No. 1,' 1874 (a sketch of his father, with some of his writings).
- 'Canada and the States: Recollections, 1851 to 1886,' 1887.
- ’India: a Few Pages about it,' 1889 (on the public works policy of the Indian government).
- 'Alderman Cobden of Manchester,' 1891 (letters and reminiscences of Richard Cobden).
[Manchester Guardian, 15 April 1901; Manchester Faces and Places, vols. 2 and 12 (portraits); Men and Women of the Time, 1899; Vanity Fair, 1875 (portrait). Lodge's Peerage, 1901; Paul, History of Modern England, 1905, iv. 308; Lucy, Diary of the Gladstone Parliament, 1886, p. 266, and Diary of the Salisbury Parliament, 1892, p. 81; C. H. Grinling's History of the Great Northern Railway, 3rd edit. 1903, passim; F. S. Williams's Midland Railway, 1875, pp. 157, 275; C. K Stretton, Midland Railway, 1907, p. 222; J Pendleton's Our Railways, 1894, vol. i. passim; W. B. Dawkins's paper la Trans. Manchester Geological Soc. 1897; Contemporary Rev. April 1890.]
WATSON, ALBERT (1828–1904), principal of Brasenose College, Oxford, and classical scholar, born at Kidderminster on 4 Dec. 1828, was fifth son of Richard Watson of that town. Educated at Rugby (1843–7), he entered Wadham College, Oxford, on 21 April 1847 as a commoner. In Easter term 1851 he obtained a first class in literæ humaniores (B.A. 1851), proceeding M.A. in 1853, and for a few months in 1854 was a master at Marlborough College. On 12 March 1852 he had been elected fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford, and took holy orders in 1853, becoming priest in 1856, but never holding any benefice. Settling down to educational work in Oxford he was tutor of his college (1854–67) and lecturer (1868–73). He was also librarian 1868–77 and senior bursar 1870–81, and during the three years 1886–9 served the office of principal. He was again fellow from 1890 till his death. His chief extra-collegiate positions were those of Librarian of the Union Society 1852–3, examiner 1859, 1860, 1864, and 1866, and curator of the University Galleries. He died suddenly from heart failure at Oxford on 21 Nov. 1904. He was unmarried.
A posthumous portrait, based on photographs, is in Brasenose College common room.
Watson's only published work was an edition of 'Select Letters of Cicero,' with notes (Oxford, 1870; 4th edit., 1891; text only, 1874, 1875), a task suggested to him, it is believed, by John Conington, and carried out with conspicuous acumen and industry. 'Watson's Letters' was for many years a household word at Oxford.
