Born in Plymouth, Watkins studied at Plymouth Public School and the Apprentices School, then took politics and economics through the University of Oxford"s extension course. He completed an apprenticeship as a shipwright before taking a land-based clerical position for the Royal Navy, working in stores.
In 1887, Watkins joined the Plymouth Company-operative Society, and he spent much of the remainder of his life teaching for the movement. He was president of the Company-operative Congress in 1910 and of the Plymouth Company-operative Society from 1914 to 1919. Watkins also served on the Consumer Council, and from 1919 until his death was a Labour Party member of Plymouth City Council.
A strong advocate of the movement involving itself in politics, he was the first chairman of the Company-operative Party, serving until his death.
