Rear Admiral Burges Watson, CVO (24 September 1846 – 21 September 1902)[1] was a Royal Navy officer who became Admiral Superintendent, Malta Dockyard.
Burges Watson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 24 September 1846 |
| Died | 21 September 1902 (aged 55) Malta |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  Royal Navy |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Commands | HMS Leander HMS Royal Oak Pembroke Dockyard Malta Dockyard |
| Awards | Commander of the Royal Victorian Order |
Naval career
editWatson entered the Royal Navy in 1860, was promoted to lieutenant in 1866, and to commander in 1879.[2]
Promoted to captain on 31 December 1885,[3] Watson became commanding officer of the cruiser HMS Leander in February 1889 and commanding officer of the battleship HMS Royal Oak in January 1896.[4] He went on to be Captain Superintendent of Pembroke Dockyard from October 1896 until October 1899. A naval Aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria from 1898 to 1899, he was promoted to flag rank as rear-admiral on 25 August 1899,[5] and appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) the same year.[1] The following year, he was appointed Admiral Superintendent, Malta Dockyard in February 1900.[6] When Lord Charles Beresford resigned as Second-in-Command of the Mediterranean Fleet in January 1902, Watson was appointed to succeed him, taking over the battleship HMS Ramillies as his flag ship.[7]
Watson was landed at Malta on 19 September 1902 due to a severe attack of pneumonia, and died there on 21 September 1902.[2][8] He was buried at the old naval cemetery at Bighi two days later.[9]
Family
editWilson married, in 1882, Marie Thérèse Fisher, daughter of homeopathic doctor Carl Fischer.[1] The pair's eldest son, Fischer Watson, was born on 3 September 1884 and also became a Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Watson, Rear-Adm. Burges, (24 Sept. 1846–21 Sept. 1902)." WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. Oxford University Press.
- ^ a b "Obituary -Rear-Admiral Burges Watson". The Times. No. 36879. London. 22 September 1902. p. 4.
- ^ "No. 25545". The London Gazette. 1 January 1886. p. 7.
- ^ "Captains commanding Royal Navy Warships" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ "No. 27119". The London Gazette. 22 September 1899. p. 5814.
- ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36046. London. 23 January 1900. p. 12.
- ^ The Navy List. (May, 1902). p. 216.
- ^ "Burges Watson, Rear Admiral R.N". Geni. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
- ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36881. London. 24 September 1902. p. 4.
- ^ "Fischer Watson". Unit Histories. Retrieved 10 June 2024.