The Douglas Archives
The Legacy of Gilbert Douglas
Gilbert Douglas, a West India merchant from Glasgow, left a legacy that intertwines the complexities of colonial enterprise, familial bonds, and acts of liberation. Born on May 28, 1749, Douglas played a prominent role in the transatlantic economy as the owner of multiple plantations, including the Mount Pleasant sugar plantation in St. Vincent and the Fairfield cotton plantation in Demerara. Though remembered for his wealth and social standing, a significant chapter of his life unfolded in March 1802 during a visit to St. Vincent.
While in St. Vincent, Gilbert Douglas took the extraordinary step of manumitting four of his illegitimate daughters, Charlotte, Eliza, and Jessy—born to an enslaved woman named Jenny—and Peggy, the daughter of another enslaved woman, Rosanna. Both Jenny and Rosanna had been enslaved on Douglas's estate in Monkton's Quarter, first named in its 1781 lease. Though records show that neither woman had children at that time, the births of the daughters followed shortly after.
Manumission, which involved the formal freeing of enslaved individuals, often came at a significant cost. For Douglas, the manumission price for his daughters amounted to £400, a considerable sum that underscores his determination to secure their freedom. This act was more than a financial transaction; it reflected a paternal acknowledgment of his offspring, albeit within the confines of a society structured by slavery and racial hierarchies.
Though Douglas is often noted for having died childless in 1807 (some records suggest 1810), this statement overlooks the lives of Charlotte, Eliza, Jessy, and Peggy. Their stories add a poignant dimension to his legacy, serving as a testament to the nuanced relationships formed within the brutal context of enslavement. By choosing to free his daughters, Douglas not only altered the course of their lives but also highlighted the human connections that could transcend oppressive systems, however limited by the societal norms of the time.
Today, Gilbert Douglas’s memory is preserved in various ways, including a plaque at St. Brides Collegiate Church in Bothwell, Lanarkshire. Yet, the liberation of his daughters in St. Vincent offers a crucial lens through which to understand his legacy—a reflection of both his privilege and his recognition of familial bonds within the framework of colonial oppression. Their freedom, secured through his actions, remains an enduring chapter of resilience and complexity amidst the history of slavery.
The Douglas collection, inherited by Cecilia Douglas from her husband Gilbert, was largely funded by profits from his West Indies estates. This notable collection of oil-on-canvas works, primarily created in the early 1800s, includes one Old Master, Still-life: Herring, Cherries and Glassware by Willem van Aelst, alongside three original pieces by 19th-century artists and several Old Master copies. Among these are View of the Roman Forum by Gaspare Gabrielli and two dramatic works by Vincenzo Camuccini: The Death of Julius Caesar and Roman Women Offering Their Jewellery in Defence of the State. Some pieces are thought to have been acquired or commissioned by Gilbert during a Grand Tour in the 1820s.
In recent years, the collection—along with a stained glass window in Glasgow Cathedral that was associated with the family—has come under scrutiny due to its links to the proceeds of slavery. As a result, these artworks have been removed from public display and are now held in storage. This reflects a growing reassessment of historical legacies tied to colonialism and enslavement.
Ronald Drysdale
Hi William,
I don't really inderstand the underlying tenor of this post, are we meant to look up to and admire this slave owning gentleman?
Gilbert Douglas - died circa 1807
Ref: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2146654761
British Guiana - Demerara
Gilbert Douglas reportedly owned the Fairfield cotton estate in Demerara until his death in 1807, and his wife Cecilia sold 'produce and land' in Demerara.
In the 1817 registration - 141 male and 132 females were recorded as slaves
And. Gallaway registered 273 enslaved people on Fairfield & Uplands in Demerara as atty of heirs of Ramsay & Douglas
St Vincent - Mount Pleasant, St George
Gilbert Douglas owned these estates until 1807, his wife owned them thereafter,
265 enslaved people in 1817 decreasing to 230 enslaved people in 1834
So it would appear that Gilbert Douglas owned something like 500 slaves when he was alive (my estimate), the fact that he freed his four illegitimate daughters (who he could have sold elsewhere for £400) was not really a great act of compassion,
"....Yet, the liberation of his daughters in St. Vincent offers a crucial lens through which to understand his legacy..."
In my view his legacy is that he was an adulterous, rich, slave owner, who profited from the misery of others.
Best regards & Happy Easter
Apr 19
William Douglas
You are not wrong!!!
Apr 19
Ronald Drysdale
Hi again William,
Some further info and thoughts
"Cecilia Douglas – Art Collector and Owner of Enslaved People
.......When slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1834 they claimed compensation, receiving as owners £41,517 and a further £48,874 from other owners which paid off their outstanding mortgage debt. That sum was in addition to the profits they made over the lifetime of the company, the majority of that time investing in human misery to their clear advantage.
That misery erupted into a rebellion in Demerara in 1823 which was savagely put down by the military with hundreds of enslaved Africans killed, those who weren’t being sentenced to 1,000 lashes and hard labour.
When Gilbert died in 1807 he bequeathed half shares in his plantations to Cecilia. As it turned out the plantations had debts which Cecilia paid off by continuing to sell the Demerara produce for a time and eventually her half share in the plantation itself."
Ref: https://glasgowmuseumsslavery.co.uk/2021/11/03/cecilia-douglas-art-...
Also if Gilbert had given the Douglas name to his illegitimate daughters, then this, perhaps, would have slightly offset the impression of disdain this slaveowner held towards his human possessions.
I've recently been looking at Drysdale slaves and Drysdale enslavers and I was surprised at the numbers bearing the Drysdale name!
see attached pdf
Drysdales%20-%20Ancestry%20slave%20lists%20-%20%20enslaver%20%26%20...
Best regards
Apr 19
William Douglas
In the main website, I try not to give a personal viewpoint on specific times in history, but let the (his)story tell itself. Here, I feel freer to include subject material where there is an opportunity for responses and discussion.
This piece was is not actually my wording; I supplied the material, mostly taken from the Douglas Archives website, but some contributed, and asked for an article. I was following up a contribution made on the topic.
The tone taken is interesting! Not quite condeming the actions taken (in case I might be offended?), but hinting that times have indeed changed for the better.
Glasgow Museums, as with almost all museums and buildings in the care of organisations such as the National Trust, tend to a condemnation of such matters, and cannot bring themselves to say 'This is a beautiful piece of art. Let's admire it' when it may have a connection to unfortunate circumstances.
I attended a talk recently on railways in cenral Scotland, most now closed. The following piece from your reference is relevant:
She (Cecilia) had a number of significant industrial and financial investments which included the Forth and Clyde Canal ... and various railway stocks.
In the talk, we were informed that much of the infrastucture in Scotland, including schools, libraries and community centres, as well as railways, was built on the proceeds of the sugar and tobacco trade, so the whole population benefited.
The list of Drysdale slaves is astonishing. I will seek out the Douglas list.
Happy Easter!
William
Apr 20
Ronald Drysdale
Hi William,
The list for slaves named Douglas is also quite astonishing, over 900 hits from a very limited period (1813-1834) within the few former British Colonies that kept records. There must be many more souls for which records don't exist!
Ancestry offers access for free (but I think you have to register):
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/1129/?name=_douglas&a...
"All Former British Colonial Dependencies, Slave Registers, 1813-1834 results for douglas"
The links on this site give access to both an index record and the paper record for each slave or enslaver:
e.g.
Ann Douglas
abt 1794
1817
Vere, Jamaica
Caswell Hill
This would seem to be quite an important records source for Douglases with Caribbean links.
Best regards
Apr 20
Ronald Drysdale
Manumission - an early example from Jamaica below - records held in the British Library database
https://eap.bl.uk/collection/EAP148-3-1/search
Certificates of freedom of emancipated peoples on Jamaica.
Manumission Certificate - William Truxton Douglas (keeper) grants freedon to 'Billy' on 28th December 1776 after receiving five shillings from Charles Montgomery (Planter)
Manumission Liber: Volume 12 [1775-1779]
https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP148-3-1-8#?xywh=-121%2C1787%2C178...
"...and forever set free one certain Sambo boy slave named Billy the son of a negro woman, late the property of Philip Philips Livingstone Esquire, named Frances, now deceased ...."
Best regards
Apr 20
William Douglas
Interesting that William Truxton Douglas was unable to sign his name, using instead his mark.
Apr 21