Thomas Henry Watson was born in Glasgow, Scotland on 1 November 1839 and was the son of the architect John Burges Watson (1803-1881). By 1841 he had moved with his family to London where his father was in practice. He was subsequently articled to his father. He also attended the Royal Academy Schools in London where he was awarded three Silver Medals in 1860, a Gold Medal in 1861, and a Travelling Studentship in 1863. He was also awarded the Tite Prize and Medal in 1863 and 1864 and the Soane Medallion in 1864.
Having passed the Voluntary Exam he worked with Robert Hesketh (1817-1880) and from 1901 to 1907 was in partnership with his son, Arthur Maryon Watson (1871?-1907) as T.H. Watson & A.M. Watson.
T. H. Watson was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1862 and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1877. He was appointed District Surveyor for St. George's, Hanover Square (North), London in 1875. In 1870-71 he was President of the Architectural Association. He was the author of Naval Architecture: a manual on laying-off iron, steel, and composite vessels (1898).
His address was given as 9 Nottingham Place, London from 1862 to 1913. He died at 5 Akenside Road, Hampstead, London on 13 January 1913.
St Luke's Church, Deptford, London (1870-72); Whitney-on-Wye, Herefordshire, with A. M. Watson (1898); Hendon Town Hall in Hendon, London (1900); Ashland House for Portland Industrial Dwellings in Marylebone, London (1901-02); and 9 Garbutt Place, Marylebone, London, with A. M. Watson, for for Portland Industrial Dwellings (1904).
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol.104, 17 January 1913 p. 98
‘Obituary’. Royal Institute of British Architects Journal vol. 20, 1913 p. 195