John James Watson (1767–1839) was an English clergyman who became prominent in the High Church group known now as the

Hackney Phalanx Hackney Phalanx was a group of high-church Tory defenders of Anglican orthodoxy prominent for around 25 years from . They consisted of both clergy and laymen, and filled many of the higher posts of the Church of England of the time. The Phalanx, ...

. He became

Archdeacon of St Albans The Archdeacon of St Albans is an ecclesiastical post in the Church of England Diocese of St Albans in the Province of Canterbury. The post has been held by Jane Mainwaring since March 2020. History Before the Dissolution of the Monasteries and ...

in 1816.

Life

Watson, brother of

Joshua Watson Joshua Watson (1771–1855) was an English wine merchant, philanthropist, a prominent member of the high church party and of several charitable organisations, who became known as "the best layman in England". Life Joshua Watson was born on Tow ...

, was curate to Jonathan Boucher, a friend of his father, at Epsom. From 1799 he was

vicar A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...

, and then

rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...

, of Hackney, at that time east of London proper. Appointed Archdeacon of St Albans in 1816, he held onto the rectorship of Hackney.

Henry Handley Norris Henry Handley Norris (1771–1850) was an English clergyman and theologian. He was the clerical leader of the High Church grouping later known as the Hackney Phalanx, that grew up around him and his friend Joshua Watson. Life The son of Henry Hand ...

was Watson's curate, and brother-in-law, and held a post at South Hackney from 1809. The Watson brothers and Norris became the core members of the "Hackney Phalanx", with shared orthodox

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

beliefs and family ties. Others who acted as curates to Watson were

George Townsend George Townsend may refer to: * George Townsend (politician) (1769–1844), U.S. Representative from New York * George Fyler Townsend (1814–1900), translator of the standard English edition of ''Aesop's Fables'' * George Townsend (cricketer) (181 ...

and Edward Churton. Churton married Watson's eldest daughter, Caroline.

Family

Watson married Caroline Powell, sister of the elder Baden Powell (13 Dec 1725 - 31 Jan 1810), the merchant; Powell's daughter Henrietta married

. Powell's other sister Susanna (24 Nov 1765 - 20 Jan 1846) married Thomas Sikes ( - 14 Dec 1834), vicar of Guilsborough, and Watson's friend from the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

. Joshua Watson married Mary Sikes, sister of Thomas Sikes. The younger

Baden Powell Baden-Powell () is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Baden-Powell * The Rev. Prof. Baden Powell (mathematician) (1796–1860), mathematician, clergyman and liberal theologian. By his first marriage father of: :* Baden Henry Powell ...

(22 Aug 1796 - 11 Jun 1860) was therefore nephew to John James Watson.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, John James 1767 births 1839 deaths 18th-century English Anglican priests 19th-century English Anglican priests Archdeacons of St Albans