William Douglas's Blog (605)

Congratulations to  Richard Philip DOUGLAS CB on whom was conferred a Knighthood in The King's Birthday Honours.

Sir Richard Philip Douglas CB (born 20 November 1956 in York, Yorkshire) is a British former senior civil servant and influential health leader. He previously served as Director General for Finance, Strategy and the NHS at the Department of Health.

His knighthood is in recognition of services to the National Health Service (Rainham, Kent)…

I think the answer is 'Rejected'.

In May 1857, the Indian subcontinent erupted into violence as, what the British call, the Indian Mutiny began its bloody struggle. This pivotal event, also known as the Sepoy Rebellion or the First War of Indian Independence, marked a significant turning point in India’s colonial history.

Among the early casualties was Captain Charles Robert George Douglas, 32nd Bengal Native Infantry, the Assistant Resident, and commandant of the Palace Guard, was murdered by mutineers at…

The Mary, Queen of Scots Casket stands as one of Scotland's most revered and enigmatic treasures. Its allure lies not only in its exquisite craftsmanship but also in its enduring connection to the controversial queen herself.



For over 300 years, a handwritten letter telling the casket’s history has been stored within it. This note records…

We are probably all familiar with this depiction of Sir Archibald Douglas.  Until now, I was unaware that it is taken from of 'The Book of the Medieval Knight' published by Cassel PLC. It was published in the 20th century, so not the book of more recent origin.



Can anyone help me identify a seller of this publication?



Sir…

One of the notable Douglas families is that of the descendants of Rev. Robert Douglas, long-serving minister in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, Scotland.

Son of Robert Douglas of Barloch, Rev. Robert Douglas served as a pillar of Kilbarchan for over four decades. Following in the footsteps of Patrick Maxwell, he took the mantle of minister…

Carmen, the daughter of Mrs James Douglas, was presented at court in 1925. 

A debutante presentation at court is a formal ceremony where young women of high social standing are introduced to the monarch or head of state. It marks their official entry into society and is often seen as a rite of passage.

The presentation is not…

Until 1794, the Royal Artillery hired civilian horses and drivers to haul its guns. In that year, the Corps of Captains' Commissaries and Drivers was formed to provide these services. This was reformed as the Corps of Gunner Drivers in 1801. In 1806 these became the Royal Artillery Drivers. In 1822 these were disbanded and from that date all men…

As you know, there has been much discussion on the Douglas Scotti of Italy in this forum.  This has generated many articles on the extended family.

I have been restructuring the pages on Italy in an attempt to bring some cohesion. It will take time for the search engines to catch up.

Here is the main page: https://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/italy_home.html you should be able to find everything else…

Here at Castledykes, with the rivers Nith and Criffle visible, can be seen Robert Bruce raising his standard at the Castle of Dumfries, freshly seized from its English garrison. Sir Roger Kirkpatrick of Closeburn with sword in hand, and Sir John Lindsay acclaim their leader.

Earlier on the same day, February the 10th 13O6, and at the other end of Dumfries within the Greyfriars' Monastery, Bruce had imperiously stabbed Sir John Comyn of Dalswinton, his rival claimant of the…

Lord James Douglas was supposedly given Otterburn Hall in 1870 as recompense for the death of Lord James Douglas, who fought at the Battle of Otterburn, and was killed near Otterburn Tower (originally a castle), itself founded in 1086, and rebuilt in 1830.

The house, now in a state of disrepair is for sale.

But who is this 'Lord James Douglas'?

Read more>>>…

A three-bedroom apartment in Palazzo Scotti in Castelbosco Marazzani is offered for sale by Sothebys International.



Palazzo Scotti in Castelbosco Marazzani is a historic building dating back to the first half of the 1700s. During the second half of the 18th century, the Romagna architect Cosimo Morelli intervened to redesign the atrium portal and the colonnaded courtyard, while an architectural firm from Piacenza oversaw the renovation of the private home. Inside the Palace, which…

I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD AND KNOW MY SHEEP/ AM KNOWN OF MINE/ TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ CHARLES DRYSDALE, BOOKSELLER, VICE CONSUL OF THE UNITED STATES OF/ AMERICA AT DUNFERMLINE, 1899 - 1913, WHO DIED 21 FEBRUARY 1913/ AND OF MARY J W ALEXANDER, HIS WIFE, WHO DIED 10 APRIL 1933/ ALSO OF THEIR DEARLY BELOVED SON CHARLES, LANCE CORPORAL,/ GORDON HIGHLANDERS, WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION AT THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME,/ 18 JULY 1916 AGED 19 YEARS/ ALSO OF THEIR ELDEST DAUGHTER…

James Douglas-Hamilton, Baron Selkirk of Douglas, died on 28th November 2023 at the age of 81.

The warmth of the tributes that accompanied the news reached across the political spectrum. All of them are genuine and none uttered out of dutiful respect.

The genuineness of affectionate words can be diluted on days like this; sometimes…

Bothwellpark House is situated on the edge of Bothwell, just north of the River Clyde in South Lanarkshire, close to the remains of Bothwell Castle. It is a house of historical significance for the surrounding area and is understood to have been built as the Dower House for Bothwell Castle Mansion (now demolished). Designed by James Playfair and built in the late 18th century, the B-listed Georgian house is laid out over three stories in a symmetrical rectangular layout with wings…

In 1826, Count Karl von Welsperg decided to sell the heavily indebted Langenstein estate including the towns of Eigeltingen and Orsingen. With Prince Karl Egon zu Fürstenberg, to whom he initially offered the property; the count did not reach a trade agreement. Finally, Grand Duke Ludwig of Baden took over the offered objects for 190,000 guilders. In the same…

I have long wondered about the origin of the salamander that appears in Douglas heraldry and recalled that there was an article in the Australian newsletter many years ago.

Today, researching early uses of the stars on our armorials, particularly those of the Douglas Scotti, I stumbled across a couple of French 'blasons' with stars, one of which also had a…

Camp Morton is the site of a coal mining encampment located on Spitsbergen island in the Svalbard archipelago, Norway.

Camp Morton, also known as Camp Douglas, was established in the early 20th century by Ernest Mansfield, a prospector working on behalf of a British investment company called the Spitzbergen Mining and Exploration Syndicate (SMES). The camp was part of an effort by British investors and entrepreneurs to extract resources from Spitsbergen, which was open to various…