All Blog Posts (931)

Colonel George Douglas of Accomack County, Virginia, was born about 1695 in Scotland. I suggest his father was named James Douglas and his grandfather, George Douglas. His relationship to Lt Colonel Edward Douglas of Northampton County was at most a distant one. George Douglas was described by his descendant Colonel Cropper Jennings Wise "as a Scotsman of gentle birth of exceptional character and attainments". He was a lawyer of high regard, a member of the King's Counsel and a member of…

We offer our congratulations to the following on their appointments:

Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE Member of the Order of the British Empire Mr Grant Jonathan DOUGLAS Founder and Chief Executive Officer, S'up Products Limited. For services to People with Disabilities. Edinburgh

Medallist of the Order of the British Empire BEM Medal of the Order of the British Empire Mrs Theresa Mary DOUGLAS Police Staff, Police Service of Northern Ireland. For services to…

On 10th December 1679, 210 Covenanter prisoners in the Greyfriars Prison destined, with others from the tolbooths, were being transported on board the ill-fated "Crown", which sank off Deerness in the Orkney Isles. Over 200 were drowned.

In 1679, after the Scottish Covenanters' uprising was quashed at the Battle of Bothwell Brig, 1184 prisoners were captured after the…

Experts are examining carvings on an old wooden chair that shows evidence of having been immersed in sea water for some time.

The seat is stored in the Am Fasgadh building at the Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore in the Cairngorms.

Thought to date from the 17th or 18th Century, it was given to the museum by a donor from Edinburgh.

On the panel that forms the back of the seat are carved a lion and a unicorn on a crest with a crowned heart…

After many, many years I have finally cracked the case of my mysterious ancestor Edward Douglas - the first Douglas of my family line to arrive in Australia.

Edward was the son of James Douglas - the only recorded child to James and his unknown wife. He was born in 1824 

Records on ancestry.com suggests that Edward was born in Birmingham. Evidence on this same site suggests he lived in the Warwickshire until the age of 19. 

It appears that life at that time for him was…

There is a story circulating that while researching the Vatican archives for a book on the topography of Lowland Scotland, the author Nigel Tranter found a document which stated that John, son of William Lord of Douglas attended a royal council at Scone in 1056. This would be more than 100 years earlier than the previously accepted first Lord of Douglas.  At that time, Macbeth would have been king.

There is the following tradition in regard to the origin of the name. In…

Grace Sholto Douglas (1940) is a large painting by the British artist and set designer Leslie Hurry, which depicts a woman positioned semi-seated with her left arm resting on a stone architectural feature.

Although it is unclear where Grace Sholto Douglas was painted, it is known that Hurry first met the sitter during a concert in the National Gallery, London, in 1940. The image…

After the death of Thomas Teackle an inventory of his personal effects was made and the inventory of 329 books constituted the finest private library in America. These books were printed in English, Latin, Greek, and other languages. There were books on theology, medicine, history, etc. I knew he was favored by the Crown, and was recognized as an outstanding ecclesiastic and he was so honorable to his first wife, Isabella. That he was so erudite took me by surprise. The first college in…

As my revisions are extensive I have decided to make use of a new blog post rather than edit an existing post.

Sir Thomas Dale was born in Surry County, England. We know this because when he was knighted June 19th 1606 by King James 1 at Richmond he was giving Sir Thomas' place of birth. At an early age he and his family moved to Middlesex Co. It is possible that his brother, Richard, and his sister, Isabella, were born in Middlesex County.

We do not know the exact date of…

The given name of 'Edward' is rarely seen in 17th and 18th century Scotland. However, when I look at early America the given name 'Edward' is fairly common. I wonder if Edward Douglas of Accomack County is responsible for this. George Douglas, the emigrant, had a son named 'Edward'.

On 28 May 1698 in Packet 1, Early Papers 1655-1722/23 is an obligation bond," whereby William Willett, Gent., and Hillary Stringer, Gent., bind themselves for 4000 lbs. pf good tobacco to Elizabeth MacAlob for her estate. She was one of the daughters of Conongh (Conough) MacAlob, dec.'d. wp 29 Jan. 1691/2 xvii-placed by the Court to William Willett until she reaches the age of 16 at which time the bond expires." William Willett was a blood relative of Elizabeth MacAlob. The MacAlob family…

William Crockford married Sarah Frances Douglas on 20th May 1812 by licence in the parish of St George, Hanover Square, London. He is registered as a bachelor and she as a spinster.

However, she was his second wife and he was previously married to Mary Lockwood, and by her had William (1799-); George (1802-69), Edward (1804-75); Mary Ann (1806-74) & Priscilla Eliza (1809-53).

Sarah Frances Douglas (1790-1865), 'a lady of refined manners and amiable…

I have been asked to help trace the Douglas family in Norfolk, East Anglia, particularly the name variants Dagles, Dagley, Daglis, Daglos, Duglasse.  As I have recently been working on the Palestinian variant Daghlas, this looked to be an interesting project.

And it is interesting and frustrating!

I have found a 15th century Richard Duglas, both Junior and…

One wonders why the boy in this family group should have been given so little space if he was wanted in the photograph!

The carte de viste was taken by Robert Douglas, Landscape & Portrait Photographer, The Vineyard, Top Whytes Causeway, Kirkcaldy, probably in the 1860s.

Robert is possibly the father of the Robert Douglas who ran the…

Two questions focus the minds of those who follow the fortunes of kilt-wearing Shoreditch hipsters. One, of course, is: 'What, if anything, do they wear underneath them?' The other, far more fascinating, is: 'Just who is Scott Douglas?'

Until 2010, the flamboyantly Caledonian Casanova was Tracey Emin's long-term other half. Inevitably, they met at The Golden Heart…

Visiting the Arctic Convoys memorial, in Wester Ross, I was reminded of the terrible conditions endured by both those in the protection warships, and those in the unarmed merchant ships carrying essential supplies to Russia.

About 1400 merchant ships delivered essential supplies to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program, escorted by ships of the Royal Navy,…

I would really appreciate any information on these two that any one has. They had a son, Hugh Douglas, 1713. I think their dates might be about 1688. If I can link these up to earlier Douglas' I can complete that branch of my family.

Regards,

Sheila

I was researching the author, W. Sholto Douglas (Cromwell's Scotch Campaigns 1650-51, et al) when I stumbled across the remarkable story of Walter Sholto Douglas.

My first discovery was that there was a marriage between Walter Sholto Douglas and Isabella Robinson, who married secondly Rev. William Falconer.  Was this my historical author?

Well, maybe not, although she (wait for it) was a writer.

Mary Diana Dods (1790–1830) was a Scottish writer of books, short…