James Watson the younger (d. 1722; fl. 1695–1722)

WATSON (JAMES), the Younger, printer in Edinburgh, (i) in Warriston's Close, over against the Luckenbooths; (2) in Craig's Close on the North-side of the Cross; (3) his shop next door to the Red Lion, opposite to the Lucken Booths. 1695–1722. Son of the preceding. Commenced printing in 1695. Imprisoned in 1700 for printing Scotland's Grievance respecting Darien. Mrs. Anderson in 1701 attempted to shut up his office, but was defeated on Watson's appeal to the Privy Council. In 1711, on the expiry of Mrs. Anderson's gift, he was appointed Queen's printer in conjunction with Freebairn and Baskett; this gift was forfeited in 1716, and a new one issued in favour of Baskett and Mrs. Anderson. In 1713 he published his History of the Art of Printing. The Preface is the only valuable part of this work; it contains notices of many contemporary Scottish printers, and has been edited separately by Mr. W. J. Couper (1913). Died September 24th, 1722. His widow, afterwards Mrs. Heriot, died in August 1731. [Aldis, p. 123; W. J. Couper, "James Watson, King's Printer", Scot. Hist. Rev., April 1910, and "Watson's History of Printing", Library, October 1910.]