Watson Charlton was born at Sunderland, County Durham and it is stated that he was a son of John William Charlton (1848-1917) who was an established artist.
This seems to be unlikely as John Charlton’s two recorded sons, who were not artists, were both killed in the First World War.
Watson Charlton was a proficient illustrator of children’s books his most famous probably was ‘A Basket of Flowers’ of 1908 and he also illustrated ‘ Dreadnoughts of the Dogger a Story of the War in the North Sea of 1916 which might have caught Neal Green’s attention.
It is also possible that at times he taught art at secondary schools. He also illustrated a book ‘The Return to Mars’ in 1907 which was a romantic science fiction novel.
Very soon after Neal Green bought Holbeck Manor in 1917 and surrounding farms, Watson Charlton visited Holbeck and Neal Green and painted watercolour works of Neal’s house and surrounds and of Ashby Church Farm.
Watson Charlton’s artwork has come up for auction in recent years and it would be interesting to find out more about this
