The Douglas Archives

A collection of historical and genalogical records

Congratulations go to Henry Scott Douglas who was awarded the British Empire Medal For services to the community in Bonchester in the Scottish Borders in the 2015 New Years Honours List. 

Henry Douglas was born in the Yarrow Valley and has farmed all his life, mainly at Howahill near Bonchester Bridge. He is an enthusiast for Borders poetry and song and has won the Traditional Singing competition at Newcastleton. He has been very active in the Border common ridings and was Official Hawick Common Riding Song Singer from 1985 - 2000. He is a regular at his local Newcastleton Festival where he has won the traditional singing competition. He cites the fellow Borderer, the late Willie Scott, as his great friend and mentor.

(I think this biography is dated - current information would be welcome.)

Is he Jill Douglas's father?  She is a sports commentator.

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Comment by William Douglas on February 14, 2016 at 20:33

Yarrow-born Henry Douglas receives the British Empire Medal in this year’s New Year’s Honours list, for services to his local community of Bonchester.

One of the region’s best-known amateur singers, he has given years of service to local organisations and community groups, such as the church and village hall, and his voice has graced many a Hawick Common Riding function and rugby gathering over the decades.

Born into a farming family at Catslackburn in the Yarrow Valley, he is still actively involved in the running of the family farms at Howahill, Bonchester.

“I was delighted when I found out about the honour,” Henry told us. “It came out of the blue, though, and was a bit of a shock. “The family are all delighted as well.”

Henry says Bonchester is a great community to be part of: “It’s a super place to live – it’s somewhere where everyone always rallies round to help each other. Saying that, I’m also very proud to be from Catslackburn, to have been born in the Yarrow Valley as well.”

With three children – including former Southern journalist and television sports presenter Jill – and eight grandchildren, there were plenty of people to help celebrate news of Henry’s BEM.


Read more: http://www.selkirkweekendadvertiser.co.uk/news/local-news/henry-dou...

Making conections

The more information you can give about the people you mention, the more chance there is of someone else connecting with your family.

Dates and places of births, deaths and marriages all help to place families.

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'My great-grandmother mother was a Douglas from Montrose' does not give many clues to follow up! But a bit of flesh on the bones makes further research possible. But if we are told who she married, what his profession was and where the children were baptised, then we can get to work.

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