George Watson

George Watson (23 November 1654 – 3 April 1723) was a Scottish accountant and philanthropist. He was the Bank of Scotland's first Chief Accountant. He bequeathed money that was used to establish George Watson's College and fund George Heriot's School.

Investment in the Transatlantic Slave Trade Letters held by the Edinburgh City Archives written in 1695-6 between George Watson and two Scottish merchants residing in London, James Pitcairn and Michael Kincaid, show an intent for a mercantile venture to procure a ship and transport slaves from West Africa to Barbados and return to the British Isles carrying sugar.

Undiscovered Scotland Edinburgh can’t whitewash itself clean of racism and slavery – John McLellan