All Blog Posts (952)

Bootstrap is a popular CSS Framework for developing responsive and mobile-first websites.  I have been using elements of Bootstrap CSS for many years to add functionality to the Douglas Archives.

Recently, I was advised that I was using an image that was subject to copyright.  I tracked it down to one used by Bootstrap in one of its…

The story of the letter from Field Marshal Luigi Scotti Douglas to the Count of Cavour is one of the most striking episodes of "transformism" and political drama during the Italian Risorgimento. It captures the moment of collapse for the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the complex survival strategies of its aristocracy.

The Antecedents: The Kingdom in Peril (Summer–Autumn 1860)

By October 1860, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was in its death throes.…

The history of the Scotti Douglas family is a fascinating bridge between the noble traditions of Piacenza and the courtly life of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It is a saga of loyalty, military service, and a constant connection to their ancestral roots.

Here is a summary of their journey from the arrival in Naples to the events of the Risorgimento.

1. From Piacenza to Naples: Following Charles of Bourbon

The Scotti Douglas family, a noble house of…

The clash between the MacDougalls of Argyll and the Black Douglases in the 14th century sits right at the heart of Scotland’s Wars of Independence: a collision of loyalties, geography, and personal vendettas that shaped the political map of the west and the Borders.

The MacDougalls backed the Comyn–Balliol faction and the English Crown, while the Black Douglases were the fiercest allies of Robert the Bruce. That alignment made confrontation almost inevitable.

- Clan MacDougall…

A NOTE

FROM

YOUR EDITOR

We have a slightly smaller newsletter this quarter as our 16 pages were causing some concern in the Post Office. “Too fat”, we were told — not to be out‑done, our treasurer and band of willing helpers ironed all the newsletters flatter and they passed through the P.O. slot at the right price. We are hoping to come up with some ideas to solve this dilemma as I really have enough Douglas and Sept information to fill the 16…

The old family of the Inglises of Manner or Mannerhead traced their descent from Sir William Inglis, a knight of great courage in the reigns of Robert II. And Robert III., who, in 1395, distinguished himself at Ruel-haugh on the borders, when Sir Thomas Struthers, and English champion, had vauntingly defied any Scotsman to meet him in single combat. Sir William…

Many families along the Anglo‑Scottish Border carry stories of hidden ancestry — noble fathers, concealed births, and name changes made in times of danger. Among descendants of Richard Angus of Dilston, one particular tradition has endured: that he was born Richard Douglas, the secret son of Archibald…

In the turbulent Scottish Marches, where royal authority often faltered, power lay with the great Border families—none more formidable than the Douglases. Like their Highland counterparts, these lords offered protection in exchange for payment, a practice akin to the Highland “black mail.” In the Borders, this took the form of tribute, fealty, or quiet coin, paid by smaller lairds and tenant farmers to ensure their lands were spared from raids—not just from rival clans, but often…

Across much of Scotland, Robert the Bruce is remembered as the king who restored independence: the ruler crowned in crisis, the victor of Bannockburn, and the statesman who secured the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton. Yet when the story is viewed from the Anglo‑Scottish Marches—from Teviotdale, Liddesdale, and the Merse—a more complicated memory emerges.…

Summary based on the article contributed by L. Leon K. Bishop.



In September 1873, the Bolton Evening News reported a serious gas explosion at the Bradley Fold Colliery, owned by Thomas Fletcher of Little Lever. Two miners — Samuel Pilling and Thomas Martin — suffered severe burns when firedamp ignited unexpectedly, despite the pit having been declared…

For many families with deep eighteenth‑century roots, the Seven Years’ War—and especially the Battle of the Plains of Abraham—has become a magnet for tradition, memory, and sometimes myth. The Douglas family is no exception. Over the years, various accounts have linked one or more Douglases to Wolfe’s famous victory outside Quebec in 1759. Yet when we turn to the surviving records, the picture becomes far more complicated.

This article sets out what we can…

Mark Stephen Elliott family historian;

Mark Stephen Elliott family historian born Oct 22,1949 Jefferson, Green Co. but in US 1950 Census Story Co, Ames, Iowa, USA

Sincerely,

Mark Stephen Elliott

screen image expanded;

Henry Percival Douglass silver salver for sale

https://drouot.com/en/l/31898074-a-late-19th-century-cased-silver-salver-having-a-raised

https://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/henry_percival_douglass.htm…

Redheugh-Larriston-Hartsgarth sasine to infefet 10 Elwald-Ellot chief Robert (English Wiki)

William Elwald (Elwand-Elwold-Elwood-Ellot) to pass 15th centuries lands of Archibald 'Bell the Cat' Douglas to 10th chief Robert Elwald family squire. Landholders Gledstanes, Scot, & Ker landholders involved land transfer with…

What can happen if you turn the power of AI loose on traditional Scottish folk songs, Ballads, Poetry etc?

I had a few hours spare, so I thought I would experiment with an update/remix of the poem "The Lads of Wamphrey" by Walter Scott into rock ballad style music.

The AI I used was Suno, online.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUTS2jHA3H0

Lads of Wamphray historical notes:

This…