The Story of St Bride

The Handmaid of the Inn

A decree had gone out from Caesar Augustus, and the little city was full. A great drought held the land in its parched grip and the innkeeper must needs make his way to the well that is beside the gate, there to bide his time. He left Bride but a stoup of water and a bannock for her use, and…

Looking at this poster, I realise what I am about to ask is a huge topic.

Whilst the Douglas Archives covers conflcts within the current boundaries of the United Kingdom, and to a limited extent on Continental Europe, it is sadly lacking repesenting the many wars, 'wars' and battles that have taken place on American (continent) soil.

It is an omission that I would like to rectify.

Any miltary historians out there who would like to work on this…

I have, for some time, been experiencing difficulties updating the genealogy database.  I moved this to a temporary site pending my webhost finding a solution.  This morning I woke to find that the main site had disappeared, hence the temporary page.

The issue has been that the files for the genealogy database have, it seems,…

It is some time since I received an email telling me that I had a close DNA match - but perhaps I clicked the link asking for those emails to stop.

I was getting regular messages informing me that totally unknown persons with no seeming link were apparently 'a close match'.  Searches proved nothing.

From time to time I get emails from people wondering where that link might be to their 'close match'.

I never found those links and grew bored of trying to find…

https://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/Places/Italy/Rezzanello.html

Attached to the article is an Italian history of the Douglas Scotti family of Rezzanello, which includes a description of the Douglas Scotti arms.

Two variants can be seen in the photographs linked to the above web page.

In 1944, 500 Lovat Scouts had just arrived in Jasper National Park in Canada to undergo rigorous training in mountain warfare in preparation for an Allied-led invasion of Nazi-occupied Norway.

Lovat Scouts in Jasper 1944



In December 1943, Lt Col JSH Douglas, assumed command of the Lovat Scouts and after 6 months training in the Rockies they joined the 10th Indian Division with the Eighth Army in Italy in July 1944.…

I have made numerous additions to the Douglas Archives today, including a timeline of Sir James's life.

The changes are generally small and include new images.

Please note that the timeline is optimised for large screens, and will not be animated on phones and tablets.

As always, if you have something to add, or comment on, please do so.

Congratulations go to Sarah-Jane Douglass who was apointed a Medallist of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) for services to the community in Norwich, Norfolk during Covid-19.

John is my problem ancestor. I can document my son's lineage to William Douglass, 1785-1856, Surry Co. NC-Campbell Co. TN, but I can't connect him to his father, except via YDNA 111 markers at FTDNA, kit 144902, John V. Douglass.

John was born about 1764 in Rowan/Surry County NC. Father may be Alexander, Malachi, or unknown. John married Elizabeth Betsy Ford, daughter of Loyd Ford in 1786 Surry Co. NC. John served in the American Revolution. NC soldiers pension S2517, NARA

Any…

Nicked from Facebook...

Derek J. H. Douglas writes:

My 3rd great grandfather, Rev. Matthew J. Douglas (1829-1865) is listed as a private on the rolls of the Confederacy's 11th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment (Holman's) in 1863. It is said that he was held prisoner in a cave at Cumberland Gap and starved to death, according to a family story that my grandfather Jessie Esler Douglas (1916-1970) was told by his father, George Washington Douglas (1891-1931). This story has…

I am receiving a flood of dodgy applications to join the Douglas Archives.

Please be wary of any Friend requests or other suspect communications in case I fail to spot them.

CAMPBELL CHRONICLES and FAMILY SKETCHES

Embracing the History of CAMPBELL COUNTY, VIRGINIA

1782-1926

By R. H. EARLY

With Illustrations

J. P. BELL COMPANY

LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA 1927

Douglas

In 1784 Edward Douglas patented 3OO acres of land on Beaverpond creek. 18O4

patented 3OO additional acres on Beaverpond creek: this Edward may have been a

brother or son of John: whose children were Charles, Elizabeth," Thomas, Polly,

Judith,…

April Newsletter ready to download or read online.

We are experimenting with a new format, which you can read as a Flip Book, or download to your PC or laptop.…

John Hacking was born in Preston Lancashire England, September   16, 1835. His father died when he was four years old leaving a widow and four young children in poor circumstances. In the year 1839 the family received the gospel, and the next year the mother married John Fisher. When John S. Hacking was six years old…

The Marquis of Douglas, son of the Duke of Hamilton, was sent in 1807 as Ambassador to St. Petersburg. 

The Marquis of Douglas in 1808 was allowed to pass through France on his way home from Russia, his health being unequal to a sea passage.

This seems to have been a 'Special Mission'.

The Duke in 1807 was Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton.  His son, Alexander, later 10th Duke of Hamilton, was presumably Marquis of Douglas in 1807?

Is this…

The Glenfunan Games is a new way to learn about Douglas history and heritage using play for all ages.

Test your knowledge with the Quickfire Quiz or a word game. 

Colour in…

I'm trying to track down Douglases who were slave traders. I've met a Jamaican whose mother's maiden name was Douglas, and the family story is that she was descended from a union between a slave and a Douglas slave trader in the 1700s. 

My own Douglas history makes it possible that this man and I are related. Four brothers - George, Samuel, William and James came to the U.S. around 1784 with a 'Captain Stevenson' and James Shaw. Shaw was a teenager at the time, and was later Sir James…

Erkembald fitz Erkembald, who had a 'set of the customary' five manors in England seems to have been a progenitor of several families.

Is Erkembald just a common name of the time (C1100) or was he just one person from Flanders who made merry with the women of England and Scotalnd and started one, or several, dynasties?

I have this rather curiously worded entry in the Douglas Archives:

William de Duglas, the first of the family in record, between 1175 and 1199,…