Elizabeth Watson (13 July 1900 – 27 June 1992) was a Scottish child

suffragette A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...

and

piper A piper is a musician, a player of the bagpipe. As a noun proper, Piper may also refer to: People * Piper (given name) * Piper (surname) Arts and entertainment Fictional characters Comics * Piper (Morlock), in the Marvel Universe * P ...

Early life

Watson was born at 11 Vennel,

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

on 13 July 1900, the daughter of Agnes Newton and Horatio Watson, a

bookbinder Bookbinding is the process of building a book, usually in codex format, from an ordered stack of paper sheets with one's hands and tools, or in modern publishing, by a series of automated processes. Firstly, one binds the sheets of papers alon ...

for George Watson's printing company. Watson was encouraged to take up piping at the age of seven or eight as her parents hoped it would strengthen her lungs against

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

after her aunt Margaret died of the disease. Her first set of pipes was a half sized set made by Robertson, the pipe maker.

Involvement with suffragette campaign

After seeing an advert for a pageant of historical Scottish women organised by

Flora Drummond Flora McKinnon Drummond (née Gibson; 4 August 1878 – 17 January 1949) was a British suffragette. Nicknamed 'The General' for her habit of leading women's rights marches wearing a military style uniform 'with an officers cap and epaulettes'Sy ...

and the

Women's Social and Political Union The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was a women-only political movement and leading militant organisation campaigning for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom founded in 1903. Known from 1906 as the suffragettes, its membership and p ...

, Watson and her mother joined the WSPU and Watson, at the age of 9, was invited to play the pipes in the pageant. The procession, which celebrated "What women have done and can and will do", took place in Edinburgh on 9 October 1909 and marched down

Princes Street Princes Street () is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, Edinburgh, New Town, stretching around 1.2 km (three quar ...

before gathering for a rally led by

Emmeline Pankhurst Emmeline Pankhurst (; Goulden; 15 July 1858 – 14 June 1928) was a British political activist who organised the British suffragette movement and helped women to win in 1918 the women's suffrage, right to vote in United Kingdom of Great Brita ...

at Waverley Market. Watson rode on a float beside a woman dressed as Isabella McDuff, Countess of Buchan in her cage. Several weeks later when

Christabel Pankhurst Dame Christabel Harriette Pankhurst (; 22 September 1880 – 13 February 1958) was a British suffragette born in Manchester, England. A co-founder of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), she directed Suffragette bombing and arson ca ...

came to Edinburgh to attend a meeting in the King's Theatre, she presented Watson with a brooch depicting

Boudica Boudica or Boudicca (, from Brittonic languages, Brythonic * 'victory, win' + * 'having' suffix, i.e. 'Victorious Woman', known in Latin chronicles as Boadicea or Boudicea, and in Welsh language, Welsh as , ) was a queen of the Iceni, ancient ...

in her chariot. In 1979 Bessie gave this brooch to

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...

, the first woman to be elected as

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

of the UK. Two years after the pageant Watson was invited to lead the Scottish "lady" pipers at the Great Pageant in London on 17 June 1911. Later that same year, when

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. George was born during the reign of his pa ...

came to Edinburgh on a state visit, Watson led the 2nd Edinburgh Company of the

Girl Guides Girl Guides (or Girl Scouts in the United States and some other countries) are organisations within the Scout Movement originally and largely still for girls and women only. The Girl Guides began in 1910 with the formation of Girlguiding, The ...

and was recognised by the King as she raised the salute. Watson continued to be actively involved in the

Suffragette A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...

movement and wore hair ribbons in the colours of the Suffragette campaign to school. She played the pipes on the platform of

Waverley Station Edinburgh Waverley (also known simply as Edinburgh; ) is the principal railway station serving Edinburgh, Scotland. It is the second busiest station in Scotland, after Glasgow Central. The station serves as the northern terminus of the East C ...

as trains departed taking convicted women's rights campaigners to

Holloway Prison HM Prison Holloway was a British prison security categories, closed category prison for adult women and young offenders in Holloway, London, England, operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. It was the largest women's prison in western Europe, ...

, and she piped outside Calton Jail to encourage the Suffragettes imprisoned there. A century later this location is now

St Andrew's House St Andrew's House (SAH) (Scottish Gaelic: ''Taigh Naoimh Anndra''), on the southern flank of Calton Hill in central Edinburgh, is the headquarters building of the Scottish Government. The building houses offices for the First Minister and De ...

, home of the

Scottish Ministers The Scottish Government (, ) is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was formed in 1999 as the Scottish Executive following the 1997 referendum on Scottish devolution, and is headquartered at St Andrew's House in t ...

and civil servants. Scotland's First Minister

Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician who served as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 2014 to 2023. She has served as a member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) sin ...

on 1 August 2019 unveiled a memorial plaque to Watson at her home in the Vennel. The plaque included a photo or Watson and an inscription:

CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF Bessie Watson Scotland's Youngest Suffragette Born and lived here at 11 Vennel Plaque produced by. 6VT Edinburgh City Youth Cafe in association with the Scottish Government to mark the Centenary of Women's Suffrage Unveiled by. The Right Honourable Nicola Sturgeon MSP, First Minister of Scotland. "Deeds not Words" "Best For Bessie". Logo 6VT Logo Scottish Government

The First Minister Ms Sturgeon said "I go into work in the morning to the place where Bessie would have played and knowing that I go in there now as the first woman to be First Minister of Scotland."

Piping career

Watson became the only female member of the Highland Pipers' Society at the age of 14, and won a number of piping awards. She also founded the Broughton School Pipe Band, which she led for 27 years. Watson continued to play the pipes daily into her late 80s. Watson studied French at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

, and taught violin and modern languages in schools across the city. In 1926 Watson moved to

Trinity, Edinburgh Trinity is a district in northern Edinburgh, Scotland, formerly part of the burgh of Leith. It is one of Edinburgh's outer villa suburbs, mainly developed in the 19th century. It is bordered by Wardie to the west and north-west, Newhaven to th ...

with her parents, and in 1945, at the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, she married John Somerville an electrical contractor. Watson died in Edinburgh in 1992, at age 91. She left her autobiography, practice chanter and pipes to the College of Piping in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

. As well as a piper, Watson was also a Highland dancer-performing for example at a Women's Patriotic Service League Garden fete in 1915.

References

External links

Bessie Watson: the youngest suffragette - Our Town Stories, Edinburgh City Council site.

Bessie Watson - Whose Town? Edinburgh Past and Present

Bessie Watson at City of Edinburgh Council: Museums and Galleries press releaseImages and article about memorial plaque being dedicated by Scotland's First Ministerinformation about Bessie Watson's piping career including a picture of her as an adult
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Elizabeth Bessie 1900 births 1992 deaths Scottish suffragettes Scottish bagpipe players Musicians from Edinburgh Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Scottish children Scottish educators Women's rights in Scotland Women's Social and Political Union