Christian Watt

Christian Watt (24 February 1833 – 20 June 1923) was a fisherwoman and memoirist.

She was born in 1833 in Broadsea, in the fishertown of Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire. She was the seventh of eight children of her parents, James Watt (1787–1868), fisherman, and Helen Noble (1788–1860)[1], and their only daughter.[2]

At the age of eight, Watt worked as a domestic servant, and in 1843 she became a maid to Lady Saltoun. In 1849 Watt began work as a domestic servant in London, arranged by the Duchess of Leeds. She also spent time in America, travelling there in 1856 and working as a tablemaid for a wealthy American family.[1]

Watt married James Sim (1831–1877), a fisherman, on 2 December 1858 in Broadsea. They had ten children.[1]

Her four brothers, husband and thirteen-year-old son were all fishermen killed at sea. This resulted in her being admitted to an asylum in Aberdeen. According to the case notes of the Aberdeen Royal Asylum, Watt was first admitted on 15 November 1877 with the diagnosis of ‘mania’. According to both case notes and Watt's memoirs, Watt's mental health crises were characterised by religious delusions and a preoccupation with religious matters. On 29 December 1877 she was discharged as ‘recovered’. However, on 29 January 1879 she was readmitted, again with a diagnosis of ‘mania’. On 25 June 1879 she was discharged ‘recovered’, but was readmitted a final time on 17 September 1879. During her time spent in the asylum, Watt became known as one of the 'characters' of the institution.[3] She remained there until she died in 1923 at the age of ninety.[1]

She was a well-educated woman and wrote her memoirs, published posthumously as "The Christian Watt Papers" by her descendant David Fraser in 1983. She was encouraged by two fellow patients, a doctor and a lawyer, at the Royal Aberdeen Asylum. These memoirs tell the story of her own life and the history of her family, which included members of the local minor nobility.[2] They give an insight into the lives of fishing families in the latter half of the 19th century.[1] Her account was written in pencil, in a clear hand. According to her memoirs, patients were not allowed quill pens, for fear they would use them as a weapon or drink the ink.[3]

Some scholars have expressed doubt over the authenticity of the published Watt papers, that they were potentially written by one of her descendants.[4] However, if Watt did not write the memoir herself, what was written was informed by her reminiscences.[3]

Her memoirs have since been the subject of a play, Precarious Living (1985), and a drama documentary series, Caorstaidh (Kirsty) (1994).[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Watt, Christian (1833–1923), fisherwoman and memoirist | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/56546, retrieved 2018-07-05
  2. 1 2 Florence Saunders, Boos (2017). Memoirs of Victorian working-class women : the hard way up. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. ISBN 9783319642154. OCLC 1015215183.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Beveridge, Allan; Watson, Fiona (2006). "The psychiatrist, the historian and The Christian Watt Papers". History of Psychiatry. 17 (2): 205–221. doi:10.1177/0957154x06058949. ISSN 0957-154X.
  4. ↑ The city and its worlds : aspects of Aberdeen's history since 1794. Brotherstone, Terry., Withrington, Donald J. Glasgow: Cruithne Press. 1996. ISBN 1873448120. OCLC 36284118.

Further reading

  • Watt, Christian The Christian Watt Papers; edited and with an introduction by David Fraser. Edinburgh: Paul Harris, 1983
  • Marshall, Christian Watt 'A stranger on the bars': the memoirs of Christian Watt Marshall of Broadsea; edited by Gavin Sutherland. Banff and Buchan District Council, Department of Leisure and Recreation, 1994


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