Philip Watts (naval architect)

Sir Philip Watts (30 May 1846 – 15 March 1926) was a British naval architect, famous for designing numerous Elswick cruisers and the revolutionary battleship HMS Dreadnought.

Early life
Watts was born in Deptford, Kent and educated at the Dockyard School in Portsmouth and the Royal School of Naval Architecture in South Kensington, London.

Career
Watts became a constructor to the Admiralty from 1870 to 1885, and reached the rank of chief constructor. From 1885 to 1901 he was director of the war shipping department of Armstrong Whitworth at Elswick (subsequently returning as a director of the company in 1912); but in 1902 he was appointed Director of Naval Construction at the Admiralty. He held this post until 1912, when he was succeeded by Eustace Tennyson d'Eyncourt and became adviser to the Admiralty on naval construction. In this capacity he played an important part when World War I came.

Being the designer of the first dreadnought battleship, it was now up to him to see the use that was made of the fleet which he had brought into being in previous years. In 1912, he was appointed to the Royal Commission on Fuel and Engines.

Watts was a keen volunteer, and a commanding officer of the 1st Northumberland Artillery Volunteers.

In June 1900 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and was vice-president in 1915–1916. He was created KCB in 1905.

Ships designed
Armstrong Whitworth
 * NMS Elisabeta, Flag of Romania.svg Romanian Navy, 1887
 * Castore-class gunboats, Emblem of the Regia Marina.svg Regia Marina, 1887–1889
 * ITALIAN CRUISER Piemonte, Emblem of the Regia Marina.svg Regia Marina, 1887–1889
 * Republica, Flag of Brazil.svg Brazilian Navy, 1892
 * ARA Veinticinco de Mayo, Flag of Argentina.svg Argentine Navy, 1890
 * ARA Nueve de Julio, Flag of Argentina.svg Argentine Navy, 1892
 * Japanese cruiser Yoshino, [[Image:Naval Ensign of Japan.svg|20px|Japanese Navy Ensign]] Imperial Japanese Navy, 1892
 * Esmeralda, Flag of Chile.svg Chilean Navy, 1895
 * USS New Orleans (CL-22), United States Navy, 1895
 * Almirante Barroso, Flag of Brazil.svg Brazilian Navy
 * Yashima (八島), [[Image:Naval Ensign of Japan.svg|20px|Japanese Navy Ensign]] Imperial Japanese Navy, 1896
 * O'Higgins, Flag of Chile.svg Chilean Navy, 1897
 * Asama (浅間), [[Image:Naval Ensign of Japan.svg|20px|Japanese Navy Ensign]] Imperial Japanese Navy, 1898
 * Tokiwa (常盤), [[Image:Naval Ensign of Japan.svg|20px|Japanese Navy Ensign]] Imperial Japanese Navy, 1898
 * USS Albany (CL-23), United States Navy, 1898
 * Dom Carlos I, Flag Portugal (1830).svg Portuguese Navy, 1898
 * HNoMS Norge, Naval Ensign of Norway (1844-1905).svg Royal Norwegian Navy, 1899
 * HNoMS Eidsvold, Naval Ensign of Norway (1844-1905).svg Royal Norwegian Navy, 1899
 * Hatsuse (初瀬), [[Image:Naval Ensign of Japan.svg|20px|Japanese Navy Ensign]] Imperial Japanese Navy, 1899
 * Izumo (出雲), [[Image:Naval Ensign of Japan.svg|20px|Japanese Navy Ensign]] Imperial Japanese Navy, 1899
 * Iwate (磐手), [[Image:Naval Ensign of Japan.svg|20px|Japanese Navy Ensign]] Imperial Japanese Navy, 1900

Royal Navy
 * HMS Dreadnought (1906)
 * Queen Elizabeth-class battleship
 * Lord Nelson-class battleships

Family and later life
Watts married Elise Isabelle Simonau, daughter of Chevalier Gustave Simonau. They had two daughters. He died in 1926 and is buried in Brompton Cemetery.