The Watney family were the main partners in the Stag Brewery of Pimlico for much of the 19th century.[3] In 1837, James Watney became a partner in the brewery with John Lettsom Elliot and Charles Lambert, as later did his sons James and Norman in 1856.[3] The brewery was known as Elliot, Watney & Co from about 1849. John L Elliot withdrew from the business in 1850, and for 8 years remained a partner in name only. He finally retired in 1858 and the firm became known as James Watney & Co. James Watney then kept the management almost entirely to himself until his death, at well over eighty years, in 1884. After his death in 1884, Watney & Co Ltd became a private limited company in 1885.[3][4]
James Watney was Master of the Mercers' Company in 1846, but had few other interests outside business. He contributed several thousands of pounds towards building a new church just as his father had done at Mitcham.
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He was born to Daniel Watney of Mitcham, Surrey and Mary Galpin , daughter of James Galpin of Mitcham, Surrey. He was the grandson of John Watney and great-grandson of Daniel Watney of Wimbledon, Surrey, who was an ale conner.
On 15 October 1829, at St. Saviour's Church, Southwark[5] (now Southwark Cathedral), James Watney married Rebecca Spurrell, elder daughter of the brewer and hop merchant James Spurrell, of Park Street, Southwark, who was employed by Barclay & Perkins's Anchor Brewery, Southwark.[6]
They had nine children. All five daughters remained unmarried. Of the four sons, one (Frederick) died young, aged 8 in 1846.[7] The other three were:
The east window in Emmanuel Church, Croydon was given by his son Norman in 1899 to the Glory of God and in loving memory of his parents James and Rebecca Watney. It was destroyed by enemy action in 1944 and replaced in 1954.
One of his daughters, also called Rebecca, founded a mission chapel in Croydon and another at Horsell in Surrey after moving to nearby Woking in 1893. The Horsell chapel, opened in 1900, became Horsell Evangelical Church.[14]
He was also uncle to John Watney who was secretary to the Mercers Company for many years.
