Joseph Watson, 1st Baron Manton

Joseph Watson, 1st Baron Manton (10 February 1873–13 March 1922) was a prominent English industrialist and philanthropist.

Watson was the only son of George Watson, soap manufacturer, of Donisthorpe House near Moor Allerton, Leeds, Yorkshire. He was chairman of Joseph Watson & Sons Ltd, soap manufacturers, of Leeds, a director of the London and North-Western Railway, a pioneer of Industrialised Agriculture in England and successful racehorse owner. Educated at Repton School and Clare College, Cambridge, he was recalled to the family firm before completing his degree, becoming chairman at a young age.

Founding of the Soap Business

The limited company Joseph Watson & Sons had been founded by Joseph his grandfather and had grown out of a hide tanning business established in about 1820 at Woodside, Horsforth, NW of central Leeds. The business was an adjacent diversification Charles Wilson. History of Unilever. London, 1954. vol 1,p.13 The former existence of...
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