James Watney (18 December 1800England, Births and Christenings, 1538–1975. – 16 March 1884England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966 [database on-line].) was an English brewer and landowner who resided at Haling Park, Croydon, and Beddington, Surrey.
Professional life The Watney family were the main partners in the Stag Brewery of Pimlico for much of the 19th century.British History on-line In 1837, James Watney became a partner in the brewery with John Lettsom Elliot and Charles Lambert, as later did his sons James and Norman in 1856. The brewery was known as Elliot, Watney & Co from about 1849. John L Elliot withdrew from the business in 1850, and for 8 years remained a partner in name only. He finally retired in 1858 and the firm became known as James Watney & Co. James Watney then kept the management almost entirely to himself until his death, at well over eighty years, in 1884. After his death in 1884, Watney & Co Ltd became a private limited company in 1885.Janes, Hurford (1963) The Red Barrel – a History of Watney Mann –- Published by John Murray
In 1898, it acquired Messrs. Combe Delafield and Co. and Messrs. Reid and Co., and was thereafter known as Messrs. Watney Combe & Reid.
James Watney was Master of the Mercers' Company in 1846, but had few other interests outside business. He contributed several thousands of pounds towards building a new church just as his father had done at Mitcham.
Family life He was born to Daniel Watney of Mitcham, Surrey and Mary Galpin, daughter of James Galpin of Mitcham, Surrey. He was the grandson of John Watney and great-grandson of Daniel Watney of Wimbledon, Surrey, who was an ale conner.
On 15 October 1829, at St. Saviour's Church, SouthwarkLondon Metropolitan Archives, Saint Saviour, Southwark, Register of marriages, P92/SAV, Item 3050/001 (now Southwark Cathedral), James Watney married Rebecca Spurrell, elder daughter of the brewer and hop merchant James Spurrell, of Park Street, Southwark, who was employed by Barclay & Perkins's Anchor Brewery, Southwark.Spurrell, J. C., The life of Charles Spurrell and his family's links to the Watney and Gray brewing families, Brewery History No. 138 (December 2010) They had nine children. All five daughters remained unmarried. Of the four sons, one (Frederick) died young, aged 8 in 1846.Anglican Parish Registers. Woking, Surrey, England: Surrey History Centre. The other three were:
James Watney (1832–1886General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes. London, England: General Register Office) of Beddington, Surrey, and Thorney House, Palace Gate, Kensington, was Conservative MP for East Surrey from 1871–1885 and Master of the Mercers' Company in 1879. He also played cricket for Surrey (1851) and Middlesex (1851–1852). Married Blanche Maria Georgiana Burrell in 1856.Church of England Parish Registers, 1754–1921. London Metropolitan Archives, London. Norman Watney (1834–1911Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. London, England) of Valance, Westerham, Kent, was educated at Harrow. He was a Justice of the PeaceFox-Davies, Arthur Charles. Armorial Families: A Directory of Some Gentlemen of Coat-Armour, Showing Which Arms in Use at the Moment are Borne by Legal Authority. London, England and Edinburgh, Scotland: T.C. & E.C. Jack, 1899. and a Deputy Lieutenant for Kent, and also served as Master of the Mercers' Company in 1880. He married Matilda Jane Robinson on 26 April 1866 at Clitheroe, Lancashire.Lancashire Anglican Parish Registers. Preston, England: Lancashire Archives. He built Valence, Westerham (now a school) in 1885 and was the father of the missionaries Kate and Constance Watney. Herbert Watney (1843–1932) of Buckhold, Pangbourne, Berkshire (now St. Andrew's School), was educated at Rugby and St. John's College, Cambridge.Venn, J. A., comp.. Alumni Cantabrigienses. London, England: Cambridge University Press, 1922–1954. He was Senior Assistant Physician at St George's Hospital, London and Master of the Mercers' Company in 1915. He married Sarah Louisa Rainsford on 22 January 1872 at All Saints Church, Wandsworth, Surrey.
The east window in Emmanuel Church, Croydon was given by his son Norman in 1899 to the Glory of God and in loving memory of his parents James and Rebecca Watney. It was destroyed by enemy action in 1944 and replaced in 1954.
One of his daughters, also called Rebecca, founded a mission chapel in Croydon and another at Horsell in Surrey after moving to nearby Woking in 1893. The Horsell chapel, opened in 1900, became Horsell Evangelical Church.
He was also uncle to John Watney who was secretary to the Mercers Company for many years.
See also Master of the Mercers' Company Watneys Red Barrel
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