The Douglas Archives

A collection of historical and genalogical records

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Comment by J Ruaidri Douglas on January 22, 2023 at 8:07

David,

Love your banner & the meaning behind all the symbols. Thank you, for sharing it with us!

Comment by William Douglas on January 18, 2023 at 13:06

That really tells a story!

Comment by David Arthur Douglas on January 17, 2023 at 14:12

Description:

     The shield is divided with a chevron into a blue upper portion and a white lower portion.  The blue section is charged with two mullets (stars), the middle estoile (star having six points.  The white section is charged with a red Bronze Age IV oil lamp.

 The colour scheme is borrowed from the arms of the ancestral chief of Clan Douglas, Dr. Douglas being a proud and life-member of the Clan Douglas Society of North America.  The heraldic charges are now of two five-pointed heraldic stars and one centred with a six-pointed Star of David, a reference to David’s first name and to his Jewish faith. 

 David Douglas is a collector of, and an authority on ancient oil lamps, specifically the Early Bronze Age IV Near Eastern Oil Lamp (2300–2000 BCE).

 The ‘lamp’ now replaces the ‘heart’ and figuratively represents education, and in particular Dr. Douglas’ voluntary service as a teacher of biblical history and archaeology at Bet Sefer School.  The chevron division of the shield represents the light of knowledge piercing the darkness.  It also resembles a carpenter or mason’s square, referring to his career in the furniture industry and his lifelong membership in Masonry.

The four Maltese Crosses in the corners relate to his senior position as Canadian Commander Emeritus in the Order of Saint Joachim.

Crest:

     A Salamander, from the ancestral Douglas mythical heraldic beast - impervious to fire, is depicted here, now in gold with wings and a lit oil lamp. It is set on a steel helmet draped with cloth mantling in blue and white, set in place by a wreath of twisted cloth in these colours. The salamander features in the Douglas clan badge and therefore its use here reinforces the allusion to Clan Douglas made in the colours of his shield.

    The salamander’s resistance to flame represents ‘infection control’, thus alluding to Dr. Douglas’s wife’s career in that field of medicine; its colour alludes to her maiden name, Goldman. The salamander is now depicted with wings to refer to the Douglas's’ love of travel. The oil lamp links the crest with the shield.

 Motto:

     The motto expresses values that are most significant to Dr. Douglas taught and respected to him by David’s parents.

 RIEN SANS HONNEUR, LOYAUTÉ ET TRADITION

(meaning: “Nothing without honour, loyalty, and tradition”)

Comment by William Douglas on January 17, 2023 at 11:17

David,

Would you like to tell us about the symbolism on your banner?

Making conections

The more information you can give about the people you mention, the more chance there is of someone else connecting with your family.

Dates and places of births, deaths and marriages all help to place families.

Professions also help.

'My great-grandmother mother was a Douglas from Montrose' does not give many clues to follow up! But a bit of flesh on the bones makes further research possible. But if we are told who she married, what his profession was and where the children were baptised, then we can get to work.

Maybe it is time to update the information in your profile?


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