John Watts (reformer) facts for kids

John Watts (1818–1887) was an important English person who worked to improve education and society. He started out following the ideas of Robert Owen, which even influenced Friedrich Engels. Later, Watts changed his mind and became more supportive of businesses and money-making. Throughout his life, he was involved in many different projects to help people.

Early Life and Learning

John Watts was born in Coventry, England, on March 24, 1818. His father was a ribbon weaver. When John was five, he became partly paralyzed on his left side, which meant he couldn't do jobs that needed a lot of physical work.

After finishing elementary school, he joined a local group called the Mechanics' Institution. From age 13 to 20, he helped out there as an assistant secretary and librarian. He then tried working in trade, but he became interested in communist ideas and started giving talks about Robert Owen's views on society. He traveled to many towns and even attended lectures in Scotland.

In July 1841, Watts moved to Manchester. For three years, he ran a boys' school in the Manchester Hall of Science. This was a place set up by Owen's followers that could hold 3,000 people. Watts often led public discussions about Owen's ideas. It was during this time that Friedrich Engels, a famous thinker, met and talked with Watts.

New Ideas and Public Service

By 1844, John Watts decided that Robert Owen's idea of a perfect community wasn't practical. He felt that many of Owen's followers were only looking out for themselves. So, Watts went back into business. On July 18, 1844, he earned a PhD degree from the University of Giessen in Germany.

In 1853, Watts helped start the People's Provident Assurance Society, an insurance company. He moved to London for a while, then returned to Manchester in 1857 to manage the local office. This company later became known as the "European." Unfortunately, it ran into trouble by joining with other companies that weren't doing well, and it ended badly.

Because of this experience, Watts wrote the first draft of a new law. This law later became the Life Assurance Act of 1870. It helped protect people by making sure insurance companies couldn't combine or transfer without a judge's approval.

Helping the Community Grow

John Watts was very active in improving his community.

Parks and Schools for Everyone

In 1845, Watts helped start a movement that led to the creation of three public parks in Manchester and Salford. These parks gave people green spaces to enjoy.

In 1847, he joined a group called the Lancashire Public School Association. He became a strong supporter of this group, which later changed its name to the National Public School Association. This group worked hard to get free, non-religious, and publicly funded schools for everyone.

Watts also joined a group that wanted to get rid of the "taxes on knowledge." These were taxes on newspapers and books that made them expensive. He supported politicians like Milner Gibson and Richard Cobden who fought against these taxes in parliament. Watts helped by preparing questions and gathering examples to show the government how these taxes were unfair.

Libraries and Education for All

In 1850, Watts convinced the mayor of Manchester, Sir John Potter, to form a committee. Their goal was to create a free library using a new law called the Public Libraries Act 1850. Watts strongly believed it should be a free lending library, where people could borrow books without paying. He helped lead the committee that opened the Manchester Free Library, which was funded by public donations.

He also supported the Education Aid Society of Manchester and the education part of the Social Science Congress in 1866. After that conference, Watts helped write a draft for an education bill in 1868. He was a member of the Manchester school board from when it started in 1870 until he died. He also helped raise money for new buildings and support for Owens College.

Supporting Co-operation and Workers

Watts was very involved with the co-operative movement, which helps people work together to own businesses and share profits. He wrote many articles for the Co-operative News newspaper. People often asked for his advice when there were disagreements between workers and employers.

Other Important Roles

John Watts held many other important positions. He was the chairman of the Union of Lancashire and Cheshire Institutes, the Manchester Technical School, and the Royal Botanical and Horticultural Society of Manchester. He also helped start and support local provident dispensaries, which were like early health clinics.

He was the secretary of the Manchester Reform Club, a governor of Manchester grammar school, and the president of the Manchester Statistical Society. He also served on many other public committees. During the Lancashire Cotton Famine, when many cotton workers lost their jobs, he was a member of the central relief committee that helped people.

Death

John Watts passed away in Old Trafford, Manchester, on February 7, 1887. He was buried in the churchyard of Bowdon, Cheshire.

His Writings

Watts wrote several books and many pamphlets:

• Facts and Fictions of Political Economists (1842): This book explored economic ideas and influenced Friedrich Engels.
• The Facts of the Cotton Famine (1866): This book discussed the cotton shortage and its impact.
• The Catechism of Wages and Capital (1867): This book explained ideas about wages and money used for business.

He also wrote many shorter articles, mostly about trade unions, strikes, co-operation, and education. He often wrote for newspapers and magazines about economic and educational topics.

Family Life

John Watts married Catherine Shaw in October 1844. They had seven children, but three of them died before him. His oldest son, W. H. S. Watts, became a district registrar in Manchester's high court of justice. His daughter, Caroline Emma, married Thomas Edward Thorpe, who was a chief government analyst.