‘Of Material Service to Him’

After the death of his first wife, Peggy in 1773, James Watt wrote: 'In her I lost the comfort of my life, a dear friend and a faithful wife.' While much has been written about Watt's business and scientific partnerships with men, his domestic life and his marital partnerships have received less attention. This chapter considers the support Watt received from his two wives, Peggy and Ann Watt, both personally and professionally. By considering Watt's domestic relationships, and home as both a personal and professional space, this chapter counterbalances the prevailing presentation of Watt, which limits him to a scientific, technical and thus presumptively male context. This chapter seeks to re-evaluate Watt within a domestic and gendered framework to consider the nature and extent of Peggy and Ann's involvement with Watt's technological innovations and business concerns, as well as Watt as a husband and father.