Susanna Watts


Susanna Watts was a noted English abolitionist, author, translator and artist.

Biography

Watts was born in 1768, in Danet's Hall, Leicester, the youngest of three sisters and the only child of John and Joan Watts to survive childhood. Her family was left impoverished after her uncle, died when she was 15. Watts took up writing in order to earn money to support herself and her mother. Her poetry was noted for its anti-slavery themes.
Watts published a poem directed at William Wilberforce criticising his views on women working in the abolitionist movement. Despite Wilberforce's views, Watts and her friend Elizabeth Heyrick continued campaigning against slavery, including founding The Humming Bird, the first anti-slavery periodical. Heyrick and Watts would visit greengrocers and other businesses to encourage the owners to not purchase Caribbean sugar and other products produced by slave labour.
Watts published a number of translations, collections of poetry, and travel writing. Upon Heyrick's death in 1834, Watts published a poem To the Memory of Eliizabeth Heyrick. Watts' reputation led to her being noted in Mary Pilkington's Memoirs of Celebrated Female Characters.
She published her guidebook A Walk Through Leicester anonymously, and referred to herself as 'he' in the address at the beginning of the book.
Watts also founded the philanthropical organisation, Society of the Relief of Indigent Old Age, as well as publishing books on the treatment of animals.
Her scrapbook is now held by the Leicestershire Records Office.

Selected published works