William Graham Watt of Breckness

WILLIAM GRAHAM WATT OF BRECKNESS (1776-1866)

is the son of William Watt of Breckness, and his wife, Margaret Graham. He was born on 22 September 1776 and his baptism was registered at Kirkwall in Orkney, Scotland, on 24 September 1776 [Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, index, FamilySearch] https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X18D-RD3

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Monumental Inscription

In memory of WILLIAM GRAHAM WATT of Breckness born 22nd Sep 1776 died 23rd Oct 1866 and ANN TRAILL, his wife, born 14th August 1782 died 12th August 1843. Erected by their son WILLIAM WATT GRAHAM WATT of Breckness [Orkney Family History Society: Memorial Inscriptions in St. Peter's Kirkyard, Sandwick, Inscription 1W/2]

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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&