William George Thomas Watt of Breckness

WILLIAM GEORGE THOMAS WATT OF BRECKNESS (1849-1909)

is the son of Robert Graham Watt, and his wife, Elizabeth Dale. He was born at Hobart in Tasmania, Australia, on 6 October 1849 [Australia, Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981, index, FamilySearch] https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XT64-JM9

In 1876 William George Thomas Watt inherited the Breckness and Skaill estates from his uncle, William Watt Graham Watt of Breckness [Scottish Archive Netwok] http://195.153.34.9/catalogue/person.aspx?code=NA17653&st=1&

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Monumental Inscriptions

In loving memory of WILLIAM G T WATT of Breckness who died 21st April 1909 aged 59 and his wife MARY C BARRY who died 16th September 1924 aged 85 years [Orkney Family History Society: Memorial Inscriptions in St. Peter's Kirkyard, Sandwick, Orkney, Inscription 1W/1]

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WATT OF BRECKNESS AND SKAILL

The family of Watt of Breckness and Skaill is descended from William Watt (1700-1777) who was a merchant in Kirkwall: his business was known as William Watt and Co. His son, William Watt junior (1730-1810) founded the firm of William Watt Junior & Company in 1766 together with his father and brothers. The firm traded to ports in Britain, the Low Countries, and Germany, but concentrated on Scandinavia. It exported kelp, hides, meal and butter and imported such goods as tea, coffee, tobacco, wines and spirits as well as timber, slates and coal. It also carried on a trade in Orkney in insurance, stationery, property etc. William Watt junior acquired the estate of Breckness and Skaill from his former brother-in-law, Robert Graham in 1787. He carried out many improvements on the estate which eventually became one of the largest in Orkney. He was succeeded by his eldest son from his second marriage to Margaret Graham (daughter of Robert Graham, 6th of Breckness), William Graham Watt (1776-1866) who carried on his father's work of improvements on the estate. He married Ann Traill (1782-1843), daughter of Thomas Traill of Frotoft, shipowner in Kirkwall, and entered into a trading partnership with his father-in-law. His father-in-law later ran into financial difficulties and his estate was sequestrated around 1820. William Graham Watt discovered Skara Brae, possibly one of Orkney's most important archaeological sites, in 1850. His son, Dr William Watt Graham Watt (1815-1876), inherited the estate in 1866 but died without children in 1876. His nephew, William George Thomas Watt (1849-1909), inherited the estate in 1876 on the death of William Graham Watt [Scottish Archive Netwok] http://195.153.34.9/catalogue/person.aspx?code=NA17653&st=1&