Joseph Watts was born on 20 July 1895 at Sunderland, the son of Joseph and Margaret Watts.  

He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Seaman at HMS Ganges on 4 September 1911, later serving in the cruiser HMS DONEGAL and the battleship NEPTUNE.  He was drafted to HMS VERNON in February 1915, where he qualified as a torpedoman.  Over the next two years he served in the cruiser HMS DRAKE and the battleship HMS DREADNOUGHT before arriving at HMS DOLPHIN for submarine training in February 1917.  Between June and October that year he spent time in the submarine HMS C19 before eventually joining HMS G7 in March 1918.

He married Margaret Clemmet on 28 July 1917 at Darlington register office; they lived at Bank Top, Darlington, County Durham. Margaret Watts gave birth to their son in August 1918.

Joseph Watts is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.