Born at Catterick Camp, Scotton, Yorkshire to Godfrey Charles Knight Watson, a captain in the Royal Artillery, and his wife Margaret Sara Winifred, Watson was educated at Bedford School, Wellington College and St John's College, Cambridge where he converted to Christianity. He became involved with the ministry of E. J. H. Nash by the invitation of David Sheppard, later to become Bishop of Liverpool. Watson noted: "Undoubtedly the most formative influence on my faith during the five years at Cambridge was my involvement with the boys' houseparties, or 'Bash camps.' It was the best possible training I could receive." He became a priest in the Church of England, starting his ordained ministry among dock workers in the parish of St Marks, Gillingham, Kent. Watson's second curacy took him to the Round Church in Cambridge where the vicar was Mark Ruston. Around the same time, encouraged by Martyn Lloyd Jones, Watson sought the religious experience known as baptism in the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues. Watson became curate-in-charge of St Cuthbert's Church, York in 1965, which was attended by no more than twelve at any service and was twelve months away from redundancy. Eight years later the congregation had out-grown St Cuthbert's and an array of annexes resulting in a move to St Michael le Belfrey, York. Subsequently, the congregation grew to many hundreds in only a few years. As his ministry progressed, Watson was involved with missionary enterprises throughout the world and was a high-profile advocate of reconciliation and ecumenism in Northern Ireland. He met the Vineyard Leader John Wimber in 1980, and was one of the first people to welcome him to the UK. This encouraged the connection between Wimber and Terry Virgo of Newfrontiers that ensued. He left St Michael le Belfrey in 1982 for London. Watson was a regular contributor to Renewal magazine, a publication of the interdenominational charismatic movement which started in the 1960s. Watson died of cancer on 18 February 1984 after recording his fight with the disease in a book, Fear No Evil. John Gunstone remarked of Watson that "It is doubtful whether any other English Christian leader has had greater influence on this side of the Atlantic since the Second World War." J. I. Packer called him "one of the best-known clergymen in England".
Works
Video works
Jesus Then and Now - V. 1 - Beginnings and Temptation
Jesus Then and Now - V. 2 - Disciples and Miracles
Jesus Then and Now - V. 3 - Lifestyle and Prayer
Jesus Then and Now - V. 4 - The Man and Opposition
Jesus Then and Now - V. 5 - Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus Then and Now - V. 6 - The Spirit and the New Age
