Victor Watson grave (1878 to 22nd December 1943)

Is there anyone in Britain who hasn’t played Monopoly? Perhaps if you’re under fifteen years old or a snowflake who won’t partake in games replicating capitalism. Here I am at the grave of the Victor Watson who imported it from American, put a British spin on it and made it one of the county's most popular board games ever (alongside chess and scrabble.)

One Friday evening Victor was at home in Leeds and he suggested to his son Norman that he should try out a new board game from the USA called Monopoly. His son played it all weekend and was so enthralled Victor made his first ever transatlantic phone call to acquire the UK rights for his printing company Waddingtons.

Victor had a lowly started in life and was born into a poor family of eight children. By 13 he left school to earn some money and started working as a butcher’s boy. His dad insisted he learn a trade and at 16 Victor was apprenticed to a local printers Waddington. It was teetering on bankruptcy but being energetic, bright and ambitious Victor soon became manager and swelled the company's fortunes. He rose up the ranks and by forty was the boss, making Waddington one of the largest printing companies in the country.

He’d had the first 'light bulb' moment when playing cards had become popular during World War One, helping to pass time for men stuck in the trenches. He sourced the right materials, precise printing and introduced imaginative new designs. It was a commercial success and many millions of cards were sold even though World War Two (it was Winston Churchill’s express command that playing cards were printed.)

Monopoly was what he became famous for though. A version was available in America and after his son become besotted with it Victor thought it would sell in Britain. He acquired the rights and he and his secretary taxied round London and spent hours in a Lyon's tearoom choosing London streets for the British version. Monopoly was to become one of Britain’s favourite board games and today has made about 250 million sets.

Although Waddingtons became famous for Monopoly it also produced favourites as Subbuteo, Cluedo, Dingbats, Buccaneer, Go, Scoop, Sorry and Blockbusters. This popular games represented only 15% of the profits and the mainstay of the business was mass printing and packaging on a huge scale.

Monopoly brought a comfortable life for the Watsons at their home Clare House, a large detached home. There were cooks, servants and a chauffeur. Victor indulged in cricket and golf and enjoyed often stayed at The Waldorf hotel in London. He was known for his care and concern for his employees along with his dedication to made Waddingtons of Leeds a household name. He had many competitors but no enemies, had "the common touch" and could often be seen working on the shop floor. He was still the boss when he died aged 65 three days before Christmas in 1943.

Anyway here I am at the grave of the man who became known as "Mr Monopoly" (about 100 million sets had been made by the time he died.) The cemetery covers 53 acres but thankfully I found the grave after twenty minutes. I almost walked passed it but saw a pile of dirt on a grave had a quick read of the name - blimey this was it. Perhaps another Watson had just died and was about to join the six other Watsons under that fresh soil. Victor is buried here with wife Ethel his wife (who me married when he was 24) and their son Norman. I did a salute and left.

Waddington's factory...

The Watson home...

A nearby grave...