William Watts

William Watts ( – 4 August 1764) was a British official with the East India Company. He was involved in the overthrow of the last independent ruler of Bengal, leading directly to the consolidation of Company rule in India and his own personal enrichment. Through his wife Begum Johnson, he had notable descendants, including a Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Early life and marriage Watts was born about 1722, a son of William Watts of London, an academy master (teacher), and his first wife Mary Hills. On 24 March 1749 in Calcutta, William married Frances Altham, née Croke (10 April [1725] 1728 – 3 February 1812), a well-connected widow. She is known to history as Begum Johnson and lived most of her remarkably long life in Calcutta, which in 1772 became the de facto capital of British India. This connected William Watts to the Governors of Fort St. David and of Calcutta. Career Watts was chief of the Cossimbazar factory (trading post) of the East India Company. Robert Clive made Watts the company's representative to the Nawab's court at Murshidabad. Clive engaged Watts to work out a secret plan for the final overthrow of Siraj ud-Daulah and to install a favourable ruler instead. Watts thus set up contact with the dissident emirs (nobles, commanders) of the Murshidabad durbar (court), including Mir Jafar, Rai Durlabh and Yar Lutuf Khan. Watts played a role in forging the grand conspiracy against Siraj Ud Daulah which led to the Battle of Plassey. On 5 June 1757, he visited Mir Jafar and obtained his oath of allegiance.