John Watts

Sir John Watts (–1616) was an English merchant, Alderman and shipowner. He is also one of the founders of the East India Company, active in the Virginia Company and was Lord Mayor of London in 1606. He is best known for organising joint stock expeditions to the Spanish main which were highly successful during England's long war with Spain.

Life The son of Thomas Watts of Buntingford, Hertfordshire, he was the owner of the Margaret and John, one of the ships paid by the city of London in 1588 to sail against the Spanish Armada. Watts himself served in her as a volunteer and saw action. In 1590 the same ship was one of a fleet of merchantmen coming home from the Mediterranean, which successfully fought and repelled the Spanish galleys near Cádiz, though Watts was not on board.

Career Joint stock expeditions John Watts was a member of the Clothmakers Guild. Armorial window with arms of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers, as well as its predecessors below (Shearmen's Company and Fuller's Company). Throughout the war he equipped and financed privateers led by Michael Geare, William Lane and Christopher Newport, the Elizabethan Sea Dogs in highly lucrative joint stock expeditions. A few of his notable successes include his financed and organised expedition to the Spanish main in 1590, the expedition to Cuba the following year and James Lancaster's expedition to Recife in April 1595. Watt's received significant prize money from the success of these expeditions. Another in July 1601 took into Plymouth a prize coming from the Indies laden with China silks, satins and taffetas. At this time he was an alderman of London (Tower ward), and had been suspected of being a supporter of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex.

East India and Virginia Companies He was one of the founders of the East India Company, and on 11April 1601 was elected its governor, during the imprisonment of Sir Thomas Smythe. He served as a Sheriff of the City of London in 1597. On the accession of King James he was knighted on 26July 1603, becoming Lord Mayor of London in 1606–1607. The Spanish ambassador however noted his displeasure in this appointment in a letter to the king of Spain, Philip III, describing Watts as "the greatest pirate that has ever been in this kingdom".

His descendants live on to this day, still remaining in the UK, England and Wales, and the Americas.