Mrs Watson (No, the Other One)
Very little has been written about Mrs Watson, John Watson’s mother. There is no Canonical evidence, but from the abundant evidence about her son, what can we say about Doctor Watson’s mom?
Weekly Forum: October 14 2014
This is a great topic….since we have no direct information about Watson’s mother. In the first issue of The Watsonian, I suggested that Watson’s father was a mining engineer. But what of his mother? Was she strict, nurturing, distant??? Let’s hear from the membership. Provide us your hypotheses and insights. Your thoughts could really advance our understanding of The Good Doctor’s background.
Should it be “Mrs. H. Watson and son John (ca 1854)” under the photo? Watson’s brother inherited their father’s watch inscribed “H.W.” on the back. So H. would be the father’s initial and perhaps the brother’s as well.
Seeing this topic, I had to stop and really concentrate on what qualities of Dr. Watson might be passed from his mother. First, his manners and kindness. These are the hallmarks of a mother’s influence. Second, his compassion; again, a mother’s guidance. Third, humaneness, as suggested by his career as a GP and an Army doctor. Fourth, responsiveness to imagination, emotion, and his environment, all evidenced by his writing skills. Those can be qualities that a mother would foster in a son, especially when her husband and his father may not have had such desired qualities.
Yet, by no means is John Watson a “mama’s boy.” That would point to a mother who was strong, independent and aware of the need for intellectual and emotional preparation of a son for the larger world. Surely, a “good Scots woman” would embody all of these attributes and seek to pass them on to her son.