Harry George WATSON b. Abt 1844 d. Bef 1903: Our Family History

Abt 1844 - Bef 1903 (< 58 years)

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Name	Harry George WATSON
Birth	Abt 1844
Gender	Male
Death	Bef 1903
Person ID	I1043	Furmedge
Last Modified	25 Jun 2025

Family	Anne Elizabeth FURMIDGE, b. 11 Nov 1849, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa d. 16 Jun 1903, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa (Age 53 years)
Marriage	2 Jun 1875	Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa [1]
Family ID	F449	Group Sheet \| Family Chart
Last Modified	25 Jun 2025

Event Map

Marriage - 2 Jun 1875 - Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa

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Notes

Initial research on Harry George Watson suggests that he was born on 23 July 1844 in Grahamstown, South Africa to Robert and Mary Watson [1]. His wife’s death notice records that she was a widow in 1903, providing an approximate death year for Harry George Watson of before 1903 [2].

No death notice or certificate has been located for Harry George Watson to date; in addition to confirming his death date, this would potentially name his parents and allow calculation of his age. South African marriage records for this time period do not include father / parent details and Harry George’s age is recorded as “full age” only [3].

The death notice for Annie Elizabeth Watson names four children whose baptism records can also be traced confirming them as the children of Harry George and Anne Elizabeth Watson. Harry George Watson’s occupation is recorded as ‘Farmer’ in the 1876 and 1878 baptism records, ‘Farmer and Hotel Keeper’ in 1880 and ‘Hotel Keeper’ in the 1886 baptism records [4]. Their youngest child, Cecil Graham Watson, was born (and baptised) at Peddie in 1886 [4, 5].

The following information suggests that Harry George Watson was the son of Robert and Mary Watson: (1). The baptism record for Harry George Watson, son of Robert and Mary Watson, gives his birth date in 1844 which is within a reasonable time period for Harry George Watson who married Anne Elizabeth Furmidge in 1875; (2) One of Harry George and Anne Elizabeth’s children was named Maude Rees Watson; Mary Watson’s maiden name was Rees [6]; (3) Both Harry George Watson and Robert Watson were hotel keepers [7]; (4) The 1888 obituary for Mary Watson names two sons, James and Henry, the younger of which was resident in Peddie. Harry George Watson’s youngest son was born in Peddie in 1886 [8].

All sources were accessed on www.familysearch.org unless otherwise stated:
[1] Baptism record for Harry George Watson, son of Robert and Mary Watson, baptised in Grahamstown, South Africa on 25 August 1844, Reference: Parish Register: Entry 531, Page 67 (digital image).
[2] Form of Information of a Death for Annie Elizabeth Watson, 1903 (digital image): “Albany, Cape Province, South Africa records”; original data: National Archives of South Africa.
[3] Harry George Watson and Anne Elizabeth Furmidge, 1875, Marriage Register Entry: 877, Page: 127 (digital image); original data: William Cullen Library, University of Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa).
[4] Baptisms records, Grahamstown, South Africa: James Richard Harry Watson baptised 08 Jun 1876; Maude Rees Watson, baptised 06 July 1878; Ethel Jane Watson, baptised 20 Jul 1880; Baptism records, Peddie, South Africa: Cecil Graham Watson, baptised 6 Jun 1886 (digital images).
[5] Cecil Graham Watson, death notice from probate estate case file, 1940 (digital image); “South Africa, Transvaal, Civil Death, 1869-1954”; original data: National Archives of South Africa.
[6] Mary Watson, death notice filed 29 May 1888 (digital image); “South Africa, Cape, Probate Records of the Master of the High Court, 1822-1990”.
[7] Robert Watson, death notice filed 13 August 1846 (digital image); “South Africa, Cape, Probate Records of the Master of the High Court, 1822-1990”.
[8] Mary Watson, obituary published in the Grahamstown Journal on 22 March 1888, transcript accessed on “British 1820 Settlers to South Africa” website entry for Mary Rees, born 08 May 1805, Pennaly, Wales, www.1820settlers.com/genealogy/, accessed 18 June 2025.

Sources

[S404] St Michael & St George (Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa), Parish Register, Anne Elizabeth Furmidge, 1875, Marriage Register Entry: 877, Page: 127; digital image accessed on www.familysearch.org; original data: William Cullen Library, University of Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa).