Jo and John Watson and their 13 children - soon to be 14.
MUM-of-13 Joanne Watson is pregnant again – just seven months after having given birth.
Mrs Watson, 37, is three months into her fifteenth pregnancy. She told the Daily Mirror she loved being pregnant and always managed to get back to her ideal weight, 7st 5lbs, after giving birth.
She said she was back in her size-six jeans – US size zero – within five days of delivering seven-month-old Tallulah, the most recent addition to the family.
Baby Tallulah has lots of siblings to play with her at the family’s St Martin’s home. Mrs Watson and husband John, 43, have Arnie, two, Nerilly-Jade, three, Lilly-arna, four, Charlie, six, Febrianne, seven, Brittany, eight, Caitlin, nine, Georgia, 11, Mariah, 13, Shanice, 16, Bradley, 18, and Natasha, 19. Their fourth baby, Augustina, was born prematurely and died at only 20 hours old.
Mrs Watson told the national newspaper she was lucky because she always sailed through her pregnancies.
She said some people thought they were mad but they were as thrilled to be expecting for the 15th time as they were for the first.
‘Some say surely this will be the last. But I always say we’ll stop having kids when we’re good and ready. And I’m nowhere near ready to retire my maternity clothes yet,’ she said.
Mrs Watson has been pregnant for a total of 10 years, seven months and one week.
She has to pack 35 lunches each week and gets through 56 loads of washing a month.
Their monthly food bill is £1,340.
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51 Article Comments
Not really something to be proud of. How much does this cost the tax payer?
I hope the taxpayers are not subsidising the Watson family.
If they are having to - it’s a disgrace.
Instead of telling us how much they spend on food, how many packed lunches etc. I would be interested to know how much social assistance they get from taxpayers who are funding this utterly selfish couples’ breeding colony.
nothing new there then !! we all know you have a big family, but no one cares. you have no respect for us gurns its us paying for your kids grow up and look after the kids you got. i think i speak for most were all fed up seeing you expecting yet another baby for the rest of the kids to bring up.
How much does it cost the tax payer to subsidise HMV’s profits?
can the press find out how much taxpayers money they are taking ?
Why is everyone obsessed about this one family? If they’ve done wrong, then they’ve paid for it. How much money they get off the State is none of your business. How much do you all get paid? Did you get a bonus this year? What car do you drive? Surely that’s a bit extravagant?
etc etc
Problems in Guernsey are not caused by this family, they are caused by the disproportionate pay awards given to a minority of the island. Moving the burden of tax from companies to individuals has cost this island £100m or so. Where are the vindictive missives towards our politicians?
Many old people on the Island who have now found themselves in trouble threw no fault of their own get turned away from social assistance and live very hard lives.
This crazy family on the other hand expect help just because one woman likes the feeling of being pregnant ? This Island is sick…
how much money has been earned by this family from newspaper articles.have they informed the housing department and the taxman.yes he works as a lorry driver but how much top up do they receive from the public purse.how can they afford the kind of lifestyle they flaunt at every opportunity.a damned disgrace imo.
i think it is a very sad case there cant be enough time in one day to give your attention to each child all day long its about to think about gettin the snip cause i do not know wot your family is tryin to prove to our island.
It seems strange that various bulletin boards have been obsessed with the Watsons and their benefits.
This is even stranger when so little has been written about the near £100 million each year that the Guernsey taxpayer goves to well heeled companies.
this is a total disgrace havent they thought about useing contraceptives does the world need familys with 14 children when it is already overpopulated i do resent having to pay tax for these spongers
This is becoming a very expensive publicity campaign.
Lawrence. What an appalling rant. To attempt to equate the rights or wrongs of zero-10 with the zero respect of these parasites for our hard working Island people is AT BEST untenable. They have contributed nothing and taken more than they were even legally entitled to take and not even repayed their proven debt (who knows what their unproven one amounts to). I don’t think that the slap on the wrist they got goes anywhere near redressing their crimes. Whilst I don’t patronise the UK stores they have certainly put far more INTO the Guernsey economy than tha Watsons have done. Though probably less than these parasites have taken OUT.
DISGUSTING! I would love another baby but I can’t because I cannot afford it, will the States help me? No, because I work and own my own house.
I wonder whether the Watsons would carry on breeding at the rate they are if there wasn’t the support they get from the States.
Many people believe it is there freedom under Human Rights for people to have as many children as they want. That’s true but should they be a burden on the rest of society. Have as many children as you want Mrs Watson, until nature finally says enough is enough but don’t expect the taxpayer to foot the cost.
The majority of people make decisions about how many children they can afford to bring up; feed them, but clothes on them and educate them to go into the world. Some decide they can’t, some decide to have a few and some have unplanned children.
I could never expect the taxpayer to take over those responsibilities from me and so should the Watsons.
If everyone had their attitude what state would this Island be in!
It’s time the social security department put a limit on how much assistance can be sucked out of the system and start stopping this reliance on hand outs that is the biggest problem in the UK.
Enough is enough Mrs Watsons unless you intend to support and pay out of your own pocket for every single child you have.
Stan Laurel. Whilst the ire is understandable, isn’t it a case of people doing what they think is best for themselves? If the system allows them to do so, then why are they admonished? We live in a society that promotes entrepreneurialism. Isn’t this a reflection of the rapacious greed we see all around?
People should get off their high horse.
For instance, a column in the GP today, ‘Beta Mum’, about not being able to go ’shopping’ because she has kids. This is the reality of our lives now. What right have you got to undermine someone else’s ’success’. If it were a Fund that has made unitholders rich because it invests in companies that use child labour, you would applaud them, Lyndon Trott beaming about how much cash sits in our haven.
The morality of a family having loads of kids and needing assistance in a civilised country is a drop in the ocean compared to the dire acceptance of things that people can’t be bothered to think about. This is a non story of some benefit users. No more, no less.
All those ‘DISGUSTING’ comments about wanting to have more kids but you can’t afford them: do you want fourteen? They obviously have a chip on their shoulder, and the more people that attack them for breeding our future generation, the more damage will be done. Guernsey is one of these unique places where we embrace international finance, with all its flaws, yet a local beats the system, and the island is up in arms. Get a life.
What if they all get a job in the banks and earn good wages. They’ll pay their dues many times over before they die. That’s your pension, that is.
What impression do you think all this gives to the kids. Sure, the older ones have already retreated into the defensive, who can blame them, it’s not their fault, but nurture them into society and you’ll have locals bring local money in for the local community.
All I see is bitterness, whilst the most despicable acts of all, not paying enough for our essential services, gets attacked by the wealthy, as ’selfish’. Honestly, it beggars belief.
I think it’s disgusting. I’ve been working since the age of 16 (now 29) and I’m currently a temp (have been temping for 2 years). I have paid my taxes in this Island and as I don’t get maternity leave as I don’t have a permanent job, I would be entitled to £118 maternity leave from the States each week for 18 weeks. I have a mortgage and various other bills to manage and I’m just glad my husband has a good job and savings so we can afford to lose one of our wages for a few months whilst I’m on maternity leave - I’m sure some other islanders aren’t so fortunate.
These people shouldn’t be allowed to scab of the States for a minute longer. It’s about time that woman kept her legs crossed and got a job!
parasites. this people should be sterilised, made to pay back the money they have stolen from the island and taught how to be responsible.
lawrence - a local beats the system? a local flaunts the system. the watsons are selfish, self-promoting, egotistical, bad examples. You mentioned the children gaetting well paid jobs and contributing towards my pension? I work hard - thats my pension. States pension payments could be higher if it wasn’t for these spongers. You also questioned what all of this arguing gives to the kids. I hope this controversy teaches the next generation that hard work and respect for your neighbours is by far more acceptable and respected than the lying, fraud and taking but not giving. Have you thought about what Mrs Watson is teaching her children. One of her daughters was up the duff at a young age. Superb example - has she got a free house? Absolutely disgusting.
A little bit of maths….. If Mrs Watsons 14 children wake at 7am, sleep at 10pm, attend school for 6hrs and eat at home for 1.5hr this leaves 7.5hrs of spare time. Each day there is 7.5hrs to share between 14 children, this leaves 32minutes of time with each child per day. I feel a child needs more time than this with their mother if they are to strive.
I wonder if they would be 14 children if the Watsons had to pay for them?
Probably not.
High horse Lawrence? You’re on a giraffe on stilts lad.
That said, you obviously do feel very passionately about the greed and materialism which is at the root of so many of the world’s problems these days - and I agree with you 100% on that point.
Where I can’t agree with you though, is where you seem to infer that because the Watsons’ exponentially increasing parasitical behaviour is relatively small-beer compared with other instances of exploitation (which are wholly abhorrent) then it is wrong for people to raise concerns or to express disgust about it. Should we not complain about graffiti because someone else is committing arson? Or about a single murder because there is genocide elsewhere? Of course not.
Yes we most definitely should be affronted by the all too prevalent spectre of profit at whatever cost to the exploited, but equally people in this Island are perfectly right to express their displeasure when they see the high profile posturing of the Watsons who are simply taking and taking without any thought as to “now, can I afford this? No, so let others pay for it”. That is wrong - and no matter where it lies on the scale of worldwide misdemeanours it remains wrong.
And it’s not the children who are taking the flak (nor should it be). In fact I detect quite a bit of concern for them from some postings, which I share.
Can i assume that the Watsons will be handing back to the states the money that they are getting from daily mirror! or at least this time declaring it….What message is Mrs Watson giving to her older children, dont worry have loads of kids the states will pay for you. I cannot beleive that this woman can be pregnant again does she have no dignity at all. whilst i appreciate people having no choice but to need states assistance this seems to be taking it a bit too far.
I’m rather concerned about the “holier than thou” theme that seems to be creeping in here. Several of the posts have the self righteous tone of the Pharisee in the temple. It’s one thing to say you disapprove of a certain kind of behaviour; quite another to hold yourself up as a model “be sure your sin will find you out”.
Lawrence I’m sorry but I’m sick of your hypocritical view of the local finance industry. You slate it and everything about it and yet you continue to work in it to earn a living.
I have no problem at all with you holding those forthright views but they are completely undermined by your choice to earn a living from the finance industry.
How do you manage to sleep at night ? I would suggest that if you are going to continue to slate the finance industry on this forum then you should do the decent thing to stop compromising yourself. There are plenty of other ways to earn a living in Guernsey if your conscience truly bothers you so much.
David, would a doctor be allowed to criticise the medical industry? Would a teacher be allowed to criticise the education system? A footballer criticising a team selection? If you read me properly, I think there is a place for the Finance industry, just not for dishonest and morally dubious practices.
Stan Laurel, I have never condoned the Watson’s take on benefit use, merely highlighted that people are so up in arms about it disproportionately. Not once did I say it was OK. Of course people can be angry about it, but where is there anger at the bigger issues? We all want someone to attack for the unfairness that is all around, we always pick on soft targets. As I have said, once the kids are grown up and working, that family will be paying more into the system than anyone elses’.
There should be no abuse of benefits, they are there to catch the unfortunate, temporary if it’s employment loss.
Our island thrives on people being able to exploit loopholes. That is all.
As retired people under 65 who are paying in excess of £200 per month into the GSSA, we believe that the Watson’s should definately pay back money that they have taken from the States of Guernsey. Maybe whilst the husband was in prison for fraud he should have had the snip! Whilst the freedom of the individual is always important it should be remembered that with that freedom comes responsibility, none of which the Watson’s have shown. No woman can look after so many children and spend the time with them that they are entitled to from a mother.
They should pass onto the States any money received from the several articles published in the UK papers and magazines, or alternatively have their allowances reduced accordingly.
People don’t want to be hearing about the Watsons’ all the time but it’s annoying when you’ve worked and paid your way in society and the States won’t help you out. I’ve worked since the age of 15, took time off to have my 2 children and have always paid full insurance. When I injured myself a couple of months ago, I had to have a week off work unpaid and was told by the States that I couldn’t claim!! She is sending out the wrong signals to her children in the fact that the States do pay up too easily. It’s not only food she has to supply but clothes, shoes etc. They are always immaculately dressed so no clothes are passed from one child to the other and that’s not cheap.
I work all week, I have two children all my money goes on childcare costs, especially pre-school is £1,100.00 and that is before paying a mortgage, and general living expenses.
I really hope it isnt true that not only does Mrs W get assistance with rent, school clothing allowance, has had a boob job and fertility treatment she also has help with pre-school fees to which i think the states should help us working mums with. I cant afford to have my hair and makeup done regulary and I dont get money from Newspaper articles. Its time the States put a cap on people who have more than 6 kids. I only wish I had more time to spend with my kids but sadly I work and pay my way. Why the hell is the States funding a couple who have won the lottery before. This island is corrupt and I cant wait to leave it.
Its about time they got their tv repaired to give them something to do other than in the bedroom department. By my reckoning reading the article we can expect more pitter patter of tiny feet in the future as well.
Its the kids you have to feel sorry for must be sleeping 4 to a room which might be ok when young but what about the teenage years & also as mentioned above can have very little one to one time with the parents
)
Whats the betting the States will find them a bigger house soon as they would have out grown theres at the tax payers expense. I dread to think what they claim in benefit each week between them it must be several hundreds of pounds (beats working for a living huh
Just hope all earnings received from the recent publicity are declared this time as I seem to remember they werent last time hence both being found guilty of benefit fraud
O well off to sleep I go ready for a day at work tomorrow to earn a crust to pay my mortgage, food, bills etc oh yeah & also pay tax & insurance to subsidise these lot
Lawrence you are not merely criticising the finance industry but are undertaking a sustained attack on everything that it stands for. I accept your absolute right to do so but I cannot accept your hypocracy in then continuing to work in that very same industry. How can you sleep at night ?
So Mrs Watson loves being pregnant. So do a lot of women who, I suspect, have more pride and sense of responsibility than to expect the States to foot the bill for these extravagances.
Guernsey is already very densely populated and when these children start to breed the problem will be a lot worse, especially if they follow their parents’ example!
I feel like a right mug, going to work, paying my own rent, paying a childminder, paying my own way.
I have one child and would love to have another one but just can’t afford it. Maybe i’ll just jack my job in, get a states house and expect handouts like the Watsons. When are the States going to say enough is enough? Like someone else said bet they wouldn’t have 14 kids if they had to support themselves. All their kids will probably be spongers too - one of them already has 1 child…
Funny how the Watsons sell their story to the National papers to make more money other than that they make off the States!
Is it a lot to boast that she goes back to her pre-pregnancy figure? I would rather be curvy and know I work for my money!
Firstly to Lawrence - after reading his remark about Guernsey’s so called “obsession” with this one family. This “one family” is the only family who keep publicising their life and because it IS the Guernsey taxpayer keeing them, it’s going to annoy alot of people. Why shouldn’t someone who has worked hard for a greast job get a bonus. They’ve earned it. The Watson’s haven’t earnt anything, yet seem to think they hold a “celebrity status” just because they are into double figures of children. You are right about the States allowing it to happen though - maybe it’s time they put a stop to her benefit and stop her producing anymore. It is giving the wrong signal to our next generation of youngsters including the TEN girls she has. Her eldest already has one child and she’s only 19. We will be paying for Watson children for years to come at this rate.
I agree with ‘D’. I find it such a shame to read about such exposures.It would be nicer to think that Guernsey people would want to keep their private lives just that. Anyone who keeps shouting from the hilltops is going to get feedback that they don’t wish to hear, especially when it’s the truth. Maybe this family should use their spare time more effectively going to work and earning a living instead of expecting others to pay for them.
I agree with DG! I just think that there are more important things to get annoyed about. I presume their income is scrutinised by SS after they were caught out, and so they are no longer breaking laws. Just like the financial institution are not breaking any laws by harbouring profits from morally dubious sources (that’s one for David) and so using that argument, what’s the beef?
Assuming all of those kids have 3 of their own, then we’ll have a total of 60 more parasites in the island, drinking the blood of the hard working population, all because of these 2 people…. The lesson that these kids will be taught is: don’t bother working, sponge of the states instead….
Why is this woman so obsessed with telling everyone how she can get back to being a size zero and her ideal weight is surely not a healthy weight. Do you know how many eating disorders there are on this island that this should not be an issue or even printed. Does she not realise this could have a bad effect on her children if they think size zero is normal. young children are the worst affected by this type of irresponsible bragging!
before you all get on your high horse, it was nothing years ago for a guernsey family to have 10 or more children in smaller houses and we all survived!!
say what you like those children are well turned out, smart and clean more than some children whose mothers are on supplementary benefit at least they dont waste their money on drinking like most people in guernsey seem to do!!
and before anyone says anything , no, i do not know the family personally.
Who really cares about how much money this family is costing us when you see what they’ve named them all. Brilliant! Shanice is my favourite..and at 16 she’s probably thinking about starting her own family.
Everybody knew the watsons would have more children, it keeps her in the limelight, which does make me wonder if thats the true reason for having more, She craves attention for herself, not her kids. I remember her saying its no-ones business how many children she has, if that was the case, why does she keep infoming the national papers(she won’t have anything to do with the Guernsey Press anymore since their coverage of her and her husbands fraud.She also thinks she deserves the house next door to hers be knocked into one. It also amazes me how much her husband can be earning as a truck driver if they can spend as muich as they do on food a month. But then with them paying a minimum rent,probably well below £50 a week, free school uniforms(and that Beghins shoes)free dentists and doctors and the payments from her stories sent to the uk papers, they do quite well out of it.She already has one of her daughters claiming supplmentary benenfit, lets hope the other 11 or so don’t follow suit.
What a proper disgrace - but unfortunately they are allowed to get away with it… As long as the States act like a charity then leeches like this family will continue to suck the blood from the island… I feel sorry for the kids… I was brought up by my parents & we were close - how can you be close with so many people? I bet a few of these kids end up as social misfits & we will have to pay to keep them when they are older due to poor parenting…
Instead of the states paying benefit they should pay for ‘the snip’…
Think of the States coffers as a swimming pool… If a swimming pool leeks then bung it up with a cork - Now there’s an idea Mrs Watson… a cork.
The difference “brodie” to now as opposed to then of course is that there was no sponging off the state, in the main families and communities made their own way. Sure there were poor laws and the alms hospital (ST PP Hospital). Go back a couple of generations and my family had numerous offspring - there was no funding from the States, the family just did what they could to survive, no wardrobes full of fancy clothes or expensive toys, food was basic home cooked fare and the children all mucked in with chores. If Mr and Mrs Watson are paying their own way then fair play to them, however, if they are dipping into the island’s coffers then I think they are irresponsible both to their children and to their island.
I hope Animal Aid went up to Mrs Watsons house as they were providing a free neuturing service at the weekend!
who says “DT” that the watsons children dont muck in with chores that they dont have home cooked fare!! we all do things wrong in life every single one of us, so rant and rave about one particular family is a bit off. rather than call them irresponsible maybe you could help them rather than be critical, surely if the whole benefit system was re-vamped then it may stop a lot of people claiming!!!
As a working mother of two with a hefty mortgage, I & my (working)husband pay our taxes in full and gratefully receive the child benefit which is the only concession we get. However, we strongly feel that the States should review the child benefit system and cap it at a certain number of children - say, two or three max. At least this would provide a sense of fairness in this whole sorry saga. We will never be able to afford more than two children - but are grateful for what we have. Unfortunately this suggestion will never be realised - stable door, horse and bolted come to mind….
They Are Kept Well.x
I am totally shocked by the insensitive comments posted. Not only does it further install the complete lack of humanity the majority of users have on this site, but it proves that the audience have been completely white washed by politicians and governments as to what is percieved as right and wrong.
Having and caring for children is a amazing and self fulfilling part of life in which no one should be bound to by rules or regulation. As this couple grows older and see these children grow up, their older life will vastly be far more richer and happier than the majority of posters on this article.
As far as i can see all these negative posters are a mix of old, bitter and twisted, childless couples who have “missed the boat” or weak minded couples who have been misled by society as to conform to economic rules.
Embrace this family, they are amazing..
Honestman - having large families is all very well if you pay your own way through life but not quite so amazing if you heavily subsidise them with benefits taxed from the earnings of other fully employed people.
Do you commend them for ‘working the system’?
As a working mother of a 3 year old, and as a member of the childcare sector, I cant help but feel annoyed at how easy this family can survive week to week.
Myself and my husband work hard to ensure all our bills are paid. I would love nothing more than to have more children and be able to stay at home with my son, but in order for us to pay our mortgage, i have to go to my work looking after other parents children.
I dont think there is anything wrong with having as many children as you like, but when you are using taxpayers money the way this family is, it disgusts me. I truly feel if they want to keep adding to there family and expecting parents and families like me to support them then then why not issue them with vouchers, and i mean for food ( the cheapest labelled products), clothes etc etc , I am sure they then will begin to stop and realise.
here ur havin another baby cus u love being pregnant an u love being a mum, why dont u just be a proper mum an care an look after the kids u have already got, instead of ur oldest ones looking after the little ones, yea i feel sorry for u cus it must be hard work but then u should know when to stop!!!! every woman loves being pregnant and loves being a mum but other women know when to stop!!!! ur out of control an losing all respect from the public of guernsey!!! and to be honest ur privet life is ur own, so why dont u keep it like that…. and people dont wanna here about u all the time, all u want is a fake life with the press all around u but to be honest its stupid no one likes to read bout u!!!! O Yea an we are the ones paying for all ur stuff, and to be honset people r getting so p***ed of with all of this!!!!!!!!!!!
no-one’s mentioned that she is also a gran. her daughter following in her mothers footsteps no doubt. so many pram faces around these days.. easy life..get knocked up, free money and a free place to live