Scottish Businessman and Adventurer. Founded the company of Maclaine Watson. He was educated by his maternal uncle, John Gregorson, at Ardtornish then in 1810 he was sent to Oban on the mainland. He studied art at Glasgow University (without graduating), then in 1816 he went to London to be apprenticed as a commodities merchant. In May 1820 he arrived in Java, settling in Batavia, Dutch East Indies (modern day Jakarta). In 1827 he founded, with Edward Watson, the trading company of Maclaine Watson. In 1830 he returned to Britain due to ill health and 18 months later he sailed again for Java. The ship travelled via Rotterdam where a woman embarked who soon after became his wife. In his second time in Java his company expanded greatly, including premises in Singapore. On March 17, 1840 he embarked on the ship "Regina" with his wife and many of her family. Shortly after the ship departed, a storm struck as the ship entered the Straits of Sunda and it was never seen again and was lost with all crew and passengers on March 18/19, 1840. In 1842 a cenotaph was erected in his honor, along with two of his paternal cousins who were killed in battle, at Warriston Cemetery, Edinbrough, Scotland. The company of Maclaine Watson survived for 140 years until it was nationalized by the Indonesian government in 1963.
Scottish Businessman and Adventurer. Founded the company of Maclaine Watson. He was educated by his maternal uncle, John Gregorson, at Ardtornish then in 1810 he was sent to Oban on the mainland. He studied art at Glasgow University (without graduating), then in 1816 he went to London to be apprenticed as a commodities merchant. In May 1820 he arrived in Java, settling in Batavia, Dutch East Indies (modern day Jakarta). In 1827 he founded, with Edward Watson, the trading company of Maclaine Watson. In 1830 he returned to Britain due to ill health and 18 months later he sailed again for Java. The ship travelled via Rotterdam where a woman embarked who soon after became his wife. In his second time in Java his company expanded greatly, including premises in Singapore. On March 17, 1840 he embarked on the ship "Regina" with his wife and many of her family. Shortly after the ship departed, a storm struck as the ship entered the Straits of Sunda and it was never seen again and was lost with all crew and passengers on March 18/19, 1840. In 1842 a cenotaph was erected in his honor, along with two of his paternal cousins who were killed in battle, at Warriston Cemetery, Edinbrough, Scotland. The company of Maclaine Watson survived for 140 years until it was nationalized by the Indonesian government in 1963.
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