John Douglas (1752-1832) Master Attendant at HM Naval Dockyards

[Tony Gould]

Hi. I am looking for some help tracing ancestors of John Douglas (1752-1832). He was Master Attendant at HM Naval Dockyards in Plymouth, Sheerness and Deptford between 1810 and 1830. He died in 1832 in Woolwich, Kent.

According to his Will (which I have obtained from the National Archives) he had a daughter, Elizabeth and sons, Richard and Joseph. According to The Gentleman’s Magazine 1824, Volume 135 page 477, he also had a daughter, Mary, who predeceased him in 1824.

I am descended from his son, Richard (1788-1866) through his son Richard John Hardy Douglas (1831-1913).

If anyone can help with information about the parents of John Douglas or with information about any of his children I would be most grateful. 

Many thanks

[William Douglas]

Tony,

I am taking another look at John's son, Richard.  Have you made any progress with John?

[William Douglas]

The Royal Kalendar, and Court and City Register for England, Scotland... 1819

[Tony Gould]

Thanks William. I haven't made any further progress with John Douglas but I believe that he was Master Attendant at Sheerness in 1814 (from the Navy List) and in 1822 (from the Royal Kalendar...) so i suspect the John Douglas in Nova Scotia may not be the same (although I guess he could have gone and come back). 

I have however found out some more information about Captain Richard Douglas. Recently I was contacted by a distant cousin through Ancestry. She saw that I had him in my tree and told me that she is related to him through his first wife, Ann McArthur. Not only was this the first time that I had heard that name but she also confirmed that they had two daughters. Apparently that information is in a book called A Genealogical History of the Pioneer Families of Australia because Ann's brother was Hannibal Hawkins McArthur, an early colonist, politician, businessman and wool pioneer (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannibal_Hawkins_Macarthur).

My distant cousin wanted to know if I had any information about the daughters of Ann and Richard. I didn't but through a bit of detective work on Ancestry I have subsequently been able to name one as Elizabeth Mary Douglas who was born in Mutley, an area of Plymouth in about 1820 and died in Hampshire in 1908. She married Robert Hughtrede Holt and they had 4 children one of whom became a captain in the Royal Marines Light Infantry like Richard John Hardy Douglas. So far I have tracked four more generations in the Holt line! 

Ann Douglas (nee McArthur) died in 1825 and Richard Douglas married Jemima Winchester (from whom I descend) in 1830. 

I have also recently been in touch with a cousin who sent me a photo of the christening dress that she has which apparently came from Richard Douglas. In recent times it has been handed down the female line. She also told me that her mother had said that we were descended from Scottish royalty, although there is no proof obviously!

Many thanks

Tony

[William Douglas]

I'm confused! Are there two Richard Douglases, both sons of a John Douglas, both of whom were master-attendants?  (Note both appear to be married to Jemima Winchester)

RICHARD DOUGLAS, Esq.
Son of the late Mr. John Douglas, master-attendant of Sheerness dock-yard.
This officer passed his examination in Aug. 1808; obtained his first commission on the 18th Sept. 1809; served under Captain (now Rear-Admiral) M'Kinley, in the Bellona 74, at the close of the French war; and subsequently in the Bulwark 76, flag-ship of Sir Charles Rowley; was appointed to the coast blockade service, under Captain William M'Culloch, Nov. 20th, 1820; promoted to his present rank, in commemoration of the opening of the new basin and dock at Sheerness, Sept 5th, 1823 ; and appointed an inspecting commander of the coast guard, April 6th, 1831. His first wife died at Mutley, co. Devon, in 1825. He married, 2dly, Sept. 22d, 1830, Jemima, daughter of W. Winchester, Esq. of Stoke, near Plymouth.
Source: Royal Naval Biography; Or, Memoirs of the Services of All the Flag-officers ... By John Marshall

and then there is this:

Richard Douglas entered the Navy, 14 Aug. 1799, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Royal George 100, Capt. Wm. Domett, bearing the flag in the Channel of Lord Bridport, in which ship he continued until shortly after his attainment of the rating of Midshipman, 1 Oct. 1800. In July, 1803, he re-embarked on board the Ville de Paris 110, Capt. Tristram Robt. Ricketts, flag-ship subsequently of Hon. Wm. Cornwallis; on removing from which to the Achille 74, Capt. Rich. King, he appears to have been wounded at the battle of Trafalgar 21 Oct. 1805, and to have been with a squadron under Sir Sam. Hood at the capture of four French frigates off Rochefort, 25 Sept. 1806. In Jan. 1809, Mr. Douglas joined the Neptune 98, bearing the flag in the West Indies of Sir Alex. Cochrane; after serving under whom at the reduction of Martinique, he was appointed, 15 March following, Acting-Lieutenant of the Surinam brig, Capt. John Lake. He was next transferred, in a similar capacity, to the Intrepid 64, Capt. Geo. Andrews; and, being confirmed on 18 Sept. in the same year, was afterwards appointed, on the Home station — 30 June, 1810, to the Coquette, Capts. Robt. Forbes and Geo. Hewson — 3 Dec. 1811, to the Bellona 74, Capts. John Erskine Douglas and Geo. McKinley — and 21 Nov. 1814, and 7 Dec. 1815, to the Namur and Bulwark 74’s, flag-ships of Sir Chas. Rowley, in which he successively served until 21 Oct. 1817. His next appointments were — 20 Nov. 1820, to the Coast Blockade, as Supernumerary Lieutenant of the Severn 40, Capt. Wm. McCulloch; and, 22 Jan. 1822, to the Coast Guard. Acquiring the rank he now holds 5 Sept. 1823, Commander Douglas, in 1831-2, again served in the Coast Guard, and from 26 Aug. 1840, until the autumn of 1843, commanded the Poictiers 72, guard-ship at Chatham. He has not been since employed.

He married, 22 Sept. 1830, Jemima, daughter of Wm. Winchester, Esq., of Stoke, niece of Alderman Winchester, M.P., of Hawkhurst, and sister-in-law of Commander Wm. Walker, R.N., by whom he has issue.

Source: Source: A Naval Biographical Dictionary  (1849) by William Richard O'Byrne

[Tony Gould]

Hi William

No, there is only one. I think the O'Byrne description is just more detailed than the Marshall one. If you look closely they do match up and describe the same person.

Incidentally Jemima Winchester's uncle was Lord Mayor of London for 1834-5 and seems to have been quite a character, see http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/member/wi...

Best wishes

Tony

[William Douglas]

...an irascible and cantankerous man who carried the seeds of discontent into all his spheres of endeavour.  What an epitaph!