Background
Watts was born in Deptford, Kent and educated at the Dockyard School in Portsmouth and the Royal School of Naval Architecture in South Kensington, London.
Watts was born in Deptford, Kent and educated at the Dockyard School in Portsmouth and the Royal School of Naval Architecture in South Kensington, London.
Watts became a constructor to the Admiralty from 1870 to 1885, and reached the rank of Chief constructor. From 1885 to 1901 he was director of the War Shipping department of Armstrong, Whitworth & Company at Elswick (subsequently returning as a director of the company in 1912). But in 1902 he was appointed Director of Naval Construction at the Admiralty.
This post he held until 1912, when he was succeeded by Sir Eustace Tennyson d"Eyncourt and became Adviser to the Admiralty on Naval Construction.
In this capacity he played an important part when the World War I came. Being the designer of the first dreadnought battleship, it was now up to him to see the use that was made of the fleet which he had brought into being in previous years.
Watts was a keen volunteer, and a commanding officer of the 1st Northumberland Artillery Volunteers. In June 1900 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and was Vice-president in 1915-1916.
He was created Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1905.
Ships designed
Armstrong, Whitworth & Company
Castore-class gunboats, Italian Royal Navy, 1887-1889
Piemonte, Italian Royal Navy, 1887-1889
Republica, Brazilian Navy, 1892
Nueve de Julio, Argentine Navy, 1892
Esmerelda,, Chilean Navy, 1895
United States Ship New Orleans (CL-22), United States Navy, 1895
Barroso, Brazilian Navy
Yashima (八島), Imperial Japanese Navy, 1896
O"Higgins,, Chilean Navy, 1897
Asama (浅間), Imperial Japanese Navy, 1898
Tokiwa (常盤), Imperial Japanese Navy, 1898
United States Ship Albany (CL-23), United States Navy, 1898
Dom Carlos I, Portuguese Navy, 1898
HNoMS Norge, Royal Norwegian Navy, 1899
HNoMS Eidsvold, Royal Norwegian Navy, 1899
Hatsuse (初瀬), Imperial Japanese Navy, 1899
Izumo (出雲), Imperial Japanese Navy, 1899
Iwate (磐手), Imperial Japanese Navy, 1900
Royal Navy
HMS Dreadnought
Queen Elizabeth-class battleship
Lord Nelson-class battleships
Watts married Elise Isabelle Simonau, daughter of Chevalier Gustave Simonau. They had two daughters. He died in 1926 and is buried in Brompton Cemetery.
Royal Society]
He was a member of the royal commission on the Supply and Storage of Liquid Fuel (1912).