Auchlochan memories

[William Douglas]

Henrietta Edwards contributes "My father, John Lang, was born in 1907 in New Trows, about quarter of a mile from Auchlochan. He often spoke of the Douglas family and their kindness to his family. At the age of 12 he was 'post boy' for them. This meant he took their pony and trap each weekday evening, to Lesmahagow to meet the 6pm train and collect their mail. He was rewarded by being allowed to present himself at the kitchen door, where the cook would give him a scone and a drink of milk. Mrs Douglas ran a drama club, I think just for girls but I could be wrong.

"She used to put a packet of cigarettes on the mantlepiece and say "If any of you smoke, help yourselves to a cigarette...but don't tell your parents I gave you one". Apparently, she always had a cigarette in the corner of her mouth!In later life my father was injured in a pit accident and Mrs Douglas herself arranged for physio for him. She frequently had her chauffeur stop the car outside my grandparents house and always admired my aunt's long, wavy hair."

Charles Mackinnon Douglas (2 Oct 1865 - 3 Feb 1924) was Liberal MP for North West Lanarkshire (UK Parliament constituency). He was the son of Dr. A. Halliday Douglas, an Edinburgh doctor, and Jessie, daughter of Mr. Kenneth Mackinnon, and was born in Edinburgh. He resided at Auchlochan, Lesmahagow and Queen Anne's Mansions, SW London. He purchased Auchlochan Estate in 1900. The estate included the farms of Hillside, Middleholm, Whiteside and Johnshill.