James Laurence Watts

James Laurence Watts (1849–1925) was a sculptor in Queensland, Australia. He was one of the pioneer sculptors in Australia and his works appear in many Queensland public buildings and places.

James Laurence Watts (1849-1925) was born in the town of Bedminister, Somerset, England to John and Betsey (née Dowdney) Watts. Bedminister being today a district of Bristol. James is the third eldest in a family of 4 sons. The family moved to Weston-Super-Mare on the Somerset coast about 1855. Here John found work as a fisherman.

It is not known what inspired James to be a sculptor but his elder brother is a mason and this may have been the inspiration. It is believed that James received his early art training at the South Kensington School of Arts, London during the period of 1870s. He then married Mary Louisa Lloyd on 15 January 1880 at Pembroke, St Mary, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

On the 31st November 1884 he and his wife and family of one daughter and two sons arrive in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia aboard the ship ‘Roma’. James Watts’ family were listed as ‘Bounty’ passengers, as was the majority of passengers on ship. The meaning of ‘Bounty ‘ is a form of assisted passage by the Queensland Government at that time to provide industry in Queensland with skilled labourers and tradesmen.

James accepts work on arrival with James Campbell and Sons, a large sawmilling and building materials merchant of Brisbane. James Campbell and Sons had purchased in 1883, Petrie’s Quarry and Brickworks along with Fischer’ Pottery at Albion as part of the company’s expansion. There was a market at the time for good quality pottery and James was employed as a clay modeller at the pottery. James continued to be employed at the pottery for most of his working life.

His first known sculpture is in 1888 in the form of a bust of Sir Anthony Musgrave, an early Governor of Queensland who died in office. This sculpture was displayed at the head office of James Campbell and Sons.

Queensland Parliament House holds a collection of Watts’ work being a bronze' portal bust of Mr. Lewis Adolphus Bernays (c. 1909) who was the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and Thomas Joseph Byrnes (c. 1899), Sir Hugh Nelson (c. 1906), and Sir Thomas McIlwraith, all were one-time Premiers of Queensland when the state was a colony.

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