Researching James Watson

Watson earned degrees at the University of Chicago (BS, 1947) and Indiana University (PhD, 1950). Following a post-doctoral year at the University of Copenhagen with Herman Kalckar and Ole Maaløe, Watson worked at the University of Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory in England, where he first met his future collaborator Francis Crick. From 1956 to 1976, Watson was on the faculty of the Harvard University Biology Department, promoting research in molecular biology.

From 1968 Watson served as director of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), greatly expanding its level of funding and research. At CSHL, he shifted his research emphasis to the study of cancer, along with making it a world-leading research center in molecular biology. In 1994, he started as president and served for 10 years. He was then appointed chancellor, serving until he resigned in 2007 after making comments claiming that there is a genetic link between intelligence and race. In 2019, following the broadcast of a documentary in which Watson reiterated these views on race and genetics, CSHL revoked his honorary titles and severed all ties with him.

Watson has written many science books, including the textbook Molecular Biology of the Gene (1965) and his bestselling book The Double Helix (1968). Between 1988 and 1992, Watson was associated with the National Institutes of Health, helping to establish the Human Genome Project, which completed the task of mapping the human genome in 2003.

He was born in Winchester, Indiana, one of six children. His father was a lawyer, a Republican state legislator, and owner-editor of the local newspaper, the Winchester Herald. At the age of twelve, Watson accompanied his father to the 1876 Republican National Convention. Watson attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana and graduated in 1886. At DePauw he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. He then studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1886 and joined his father's law firm.

James Watson was Artistic Director of the National Youth Brass Band of Wales for six years and was Vice-President of the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain.

He was very active as a teacher and had been Head of Brass at the Royal Academy of Music since 2001.

Watson's death was announced on 6 February 2011.

He trained at the Drama Studio London and at the Focus Theatre Studio, Dublin. Started his acting career playing Dr. John McEwan in the Irish television soap opera Fair City in 1988. His most important role yet may be that of the swordmaster Duncan Idaho in the American TV miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune in 2000.

He founded the Actor's Bothy at the CCA and co-founded Celtic Mouse Productions (Ireland). He has produced five short films, two of which were short listed for Oscar consideration. Directing credits include Sixteen Words for Water (nominated for an Irish Times Theatre Award), "Breathe" (short film) and "The Playboy Interviews" (art installation film for the Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin).

Watson was born at Birmingham the son of James Watson, of Edgbaston and his wife Mary Spreadborough. Watson was a cheesemonger in Birmingham. In 1875, he purchased Berwick House near Shrewsbury and moved in four years later after extensive reconstruction. There he established one of the first herds of Jersey cows in England. He became a J.P. for the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. He served as treasurer of the Salop Infirmary in Shrewsbury in 1886.

At the 1885 general election Watson was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Shrewsbury and held the seat until he stood down at the 1892 election.

Watson died at the age of 78.

Watson married Jane Willan in 1856 and they had a daughter Florence.

Sir Walter Scott discusses Watson’s collection of ancient poetry, the Choice Collection of Comic and Serious Scottish Poems, in Popular Poetry (part of Poetical Works). Robert Burns was also heavily influenced by Watson’s collection of old poems, both in content and presentation.

Watson's History of Printing (1713) is also seen as a milestone in printing history.

Born in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, Watson was educated at Parkhead Sessional School, Dennistoun Academy and High School of Glasgow before graduating from the University of Glasgow, then studying at the University of Tübingen, University of Geneva and University of Berlin. In 1889, he returned to Glasgow, where he was appointed as Professor of Chemistry at Anderson's College.

Watson was a founder member of the Independent Labour Party (ILP), for which he stood unsuccessfully in 1893 in the Mile End ward of Glasgow City Council, then at the 1895 general election in Glasgow Bridgeton, where he took less than 10% of the vote.

After his second defeat, Watson drifted away from the ILP, but remained politically engaged, and spent the 1900s campaigning on tariff reform. A supporter of World War I, he stood as an independent at the 1917 Aberdeen South by-election, taking second place with 29.4% of the vote, then again in Aberdeen South at the 1918 general election, where his vote dropped back to only 16.8%.

Watson died in 1923, and is buried in Faslane Cemetery.