Mearns Bruce Watson (3 April 1910 – 16 May 1988) was a Scottish

organic chemist Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic materials, i.e., matter in its various forms that contain carbon atoms.Clayden, J. ...

and

Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; sco, Scots National Pairty, gd, Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence from th ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, ...

. He was the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 1945 to 1947. Watson was born in

Rubislaw Rubislaw is an area of Aberdeen, Scotland. It is located in the area between Queen's Road and King’s Gate, including Rubislaw Den North and South. It is close to Rubislaw Quarry and the Rubislaw Playing Fields used by Aberdeen Grammar School ...

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), a ...

, the son of Mearns Watson snr, a fruit salesman. He studied

chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the elements that make up matter to the compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, proper ...

at the

University of Aberdeen , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

and later taught there from 1935 to 1945 as an assistant lecturer in chemistry, and then as professor of

organic chemistry Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic materials, i.e., matter in its various forms that contain carbon atoms.Clayden, J ...

. In 1945 he moved to Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology, where he was Head of Chemistry until he retired in 1975. As an organic chemist, Watson was exempted from

military service Military service is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, air forces, and naval forces, whether as a chosen job ( volunteer) or as a result of an involuntary draft (conscription). Some nations (e.g., Mexico) require ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

and served instead as gas protection officer for the whole of the north of Scotland. In 1945, the SNP Chairman Douglas Young resigned after the party banned members from also holding membership of British political parties. Watson held that attempting to win

self-government __NOTOC__ Self-governance, self-government, or self-rule is the ability of a person or group to exercise all necessary functions of regulation without intervention from an external authority. It may refer to personal conduct or to any form of ...

through British parties was a waste of time, and took up the vacant party chairmanship without facing a challenge. In 1946, Watson chaired a large conference in

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

which demanded self-government for Scotland. In 1947, he stood down from the Chairmanship of the SNP in order that he could be succeeded by Robert McIntyre, a former

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

and the best-known figure in the party. Based in

, Watson remained active in the SNP into the 1960s.Jim Lynch,
Correction
", ''

Scots Independent ''The Scots Independent'' is a monthly Scottish political newspaper that is in favour of Scottish independence. It was formed in 1926 with William Gillies as editor, by the Scots National League (SNL) and switched its allegiance to the Nationa ...

'', 9 November 2001

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Bruce 1910 births 1988 deaths Scientists from Aberdeen Leaders of the Scottish National Party Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Academics of the University of Aberdeen Politicians from Aberdeen