ABSTRACT
Like Anne Wilson (q.v.) over two generations before him, Richard Watson took his inspiration from the landscape, the history and the people along the banks of the river Tees. Born in Middleton-in-Teesdale, he spent most of his life in Teesdale, relocating as work and family finances necessitated. Watson’s father died when he was fourteen, and he found himself working to support his mother and siblings. He continued to compose poems, mostly to amuse himself and his co-workers, and he began to recite his verses at local celebrations and special occasions. However, by 1886, Watson was out of work again, and his local supporters among the gentry had died or moved away. Particularly difficult for him was the death of Atkinson, who had long been a supporter and who eagerly promoted his poetry. Manual labour was increasingly difficult to find, let alone work that might be possible for a less-than-able bodied older man.
