Articles
William Watson
With William Patterson, Watson established the Watson and Paterson Bacon Curers factory on the corner of Dundas Street and Plenty Road Preston. Until then, bacon had come from Britain. Previously the Scottish born merchant had worked in a bacon curing factory in Scotland with Patterson. In 1859 Watson moved to Australia and headed for the Ballarat goldfields. In 1862 he met up with Patterson and they decided to go into business together in Preston.
Watson had a great reputation as a bacon curer, winning many prestigious prizes. Upon his retirement in 1889, Watson was appointed as a bacon curing expert by the Queensland colonial government.
Sources
Forster, Harley W. (1968). Preston Lands and People. Melbourne: Cheshire.
Preston Historical Society (1968). Brief biographies of prominent Preston People. Preston, Vic: Author.