Sir James Douglas, 1st Baronet: Difference between revisions
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==Naval career== |
==Naval career== |
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Douglas became a captain in the [[Royal Navy]] in 1744.<ref name=govt>[http://www.heritage.nf.ca/govhouse/governors/g13b.html Biography at Government House ''The Governorship of Newfoundland and Labrador'']</ref> In 1745 he commanded the [[HMS Ruby (1708)|HMS ''Mermaid'']] at [[Louisbourg]] and in 1746 he commanded the [[HMS Vigilante|HMS ''Vigilante'']] at Louisbourg.<ref name=govt/> In 1746 was appointed [[North America and West Indies Station|Commodore of Newfoundland]] by [[Vice-Admiral]] [[Isaac Townsend]].<ref name=govt/> He then served as a Member of Parliament for [[Orkney and Shetland (UK Parliament constituency)|Orkney & Shetland]] from 1754 to 1768.<ref name=papers>[http://www.clements.umich.edu/Webguides/Arlenes/D/Douglas.html James Douglas papers]</ref> |
Douglas became a captain in the [[Royal Navy]] in 1744.<ref name=govt>[http://www.heritage.nf.ca/govhouse/governors/g13b.html Biography at Government House ''The Governorship of Newfoundland and Labrador'']</ref> In 1745 he commanded the [[HMS Ruby (1708)|HMS ''Mermaid'']] at [[Louisbourg]] and in 1746 he commanded the [[HMS Vigilante|HMS ''Vigilante'']] at Louisbourg.<ref name=govt/> In 1746 was appointed [[North America and West Indies Station|Commodore of Newfoundland]] by [[Vice-Admiral]] [[Isaac Townsend]].<ref name=govt/> <ref group= "notes"> The position of governor of the colony had temporarily lapsed after the departure of [[Richard Edwards (died 1773)|Richard Edwards]] and therefore Douglas was not a governor of the island. Also, no commodore or governor was sent in 1747, the next governor was [[Charles Watson (Royal Navy officer)|Charles Watson]] in 1748. </ref> He then served as a Member of Parliament for [[Orkney and Shetland (UK Parliament constituency)|Orkney & Shetland]] from 1754 to 1768.<ref name=papers>[http://www.clements.umich.edu/Webguides/Arlenes/D/Douglas.html James Douglas papers]</ref> |
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In 1757 served as a member of the court martial which tried and convicted [[John Byng|Admiral Byng]]<ref name=papers/> and in 1759 he was knighted for his participation in the capture of [[Québec]].<ref name=govt/> He was commander of the squadron which captured [[British expedition against Dominica|Dominica]] in 1761.<ref name=papers/> He served in the fleet under [[George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney|George Rodney]] which captured [[British expedition against Martinique|Martinique]] in February 1762<ref name=papers/> and then served in the fleet under [[George Pocock]] which captured [[British expedition against Cuba|Havana]] in August 1762.<ref name=papers/> He became Commander-in-Chief, [[Jamaica Station (Royal Navy)|Jamaica Station]] later in the year.<ref>Cundall, p. xx</ref> |
In 1757 served as a member of the court martial which tried and convicted [[John Byng|Admiral Byng]]<ref name=papers/> and in 1759 he was knighted for his participation in the capture of [[Québec]].<ref name=govt/> He was commander of the squadron which captured [[British expedition against Dominica|Dominica]] in 1761.<ref name=papers/> He served in the fleet under [[George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney|George Rodney]] which captured [[British expedition against Martinique|Martinique]] in February 1762<ref name=papers/> and then served in the fleet under [[George Pocock]] which captured [[British expedition against Cuba|Havana]] in August 1762.<ref name=papers/> He became Commander-in-Chief, [[Jamaica Station (Royal Navy)|Jamaica Station]] later in the year.<ref>Cundall, p. xx</ref> |
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Revision as of 20:13, 18 June 2016
Sir James Douglas | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1703 |
| Died | 2 November 1787 |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/ |  Royal Navy |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held | HMS Mermaid HMS Vigilante Jamaica Station Portsmouth Command |
| Battles/wars | Seven Years' War |
Admiral Sir James Douglas, 1st Baronet (1703 – 2 November 1787) was a Scottish naval officer and Commodore of Newfoundland.
Douglas became a captain in the Royal Navy in 1744.[1] In 1745 he commanded the HMS Mermaid at Louisbourg and in 1746 he commanded the HMS Vigilante at Louisbourg.[1] In 1746 was appointed Commodore of Newfoundland by Vice-Admiral Isaac Townsend.[1] [notes 1] He then served as a Member of Parliament for Orkney & Shetland from 1754 to 1768.[2]
In 1757 served as a member of the court martial which tried and convicted Admiral Byng[2] and in 1759 he was knighted for his participation in the capture of Québec.[1] He was commander of the squadron which captured Dominica in 1761.[2] He served in the fleet under George Rodney which captured Martinique in February 1762[2] and then served in the fleet under George Pocock which captured Havana in August 1762.[2] He became Commander-in-Chief, Jamaica Station later in the year.[3]
Promoted to vice-admiral in 1770, he became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth in 1774 and was then promoted to admiral in 1778. In 1786 he was made a Baronet.[1]
Family
Douglas was the son of George Douglas, 7th laird of Friarshaw, Roxburghshire, and Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Patrick Scott, baronet, of Ancrum, also of Roxburghshire.[4] This Douglas line descended from the Douglas of Cavers branch of the family, and were lawyers and merchants. They took the title Douglas of Friarshaw from the original seat of the family in the parish of Lilliesleaf.
Douglas was twice married: first in 1753 to Helen (d. 1766), daughter of Thomas Brisbane of Brisbane in Ayrshire; the couple had four sons, including Admiral James Douglas (1755-1839) and three daughters. His second wife was Lady Helen Boyle, daughter of John Boyle, 2nd Earl of Glasgow and Helenor, née Morison.
Sir George Douglas, 2nd Baronet, was a captain in the 25th Regiment of Foot and later commanded the Kelso Volunteers. He sold the old estate of Friarshaw in 1788 and became MP for Roxburgh.[5]
References
Sources
- Cundall, Frank (1915). Historic Jamaica. West India Committee.
See also
- Great Britain in the Seven Years War
- Governors of Newfoundland
- List of people of Newfoundland and Labrador
- ^ The position of governor of the colony had temporarily lapsed after the departure of Richard Edwards and therefore Douglas was not a governor of the island. Also, no commodore or governor was sent in 1747, the next governor was Charles Watson in 1748.
| Proprietary Governors (1610–1660) | |
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| French Governors of Plaisance (1655–1713) | |
| Lieutenant-governors of Placentia (1713–1770) | |
| Commodore-Governors (1729–1825) |
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| Civil Governors (1825–1855) | |
| Colonial Governors (1855–1907) | |
| Dominion Governors (1907–1934) | |
| Commission Governors (1934–1949) | |
| Lieutenant Governors (1949–present) | |
- Use dmy dates from April 2012
- 1703 births
- 1787 deaths
- Baronets in the Baronetage of Great Britain
- Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Scottish constituencies
- British MPs 1754–61
- British MPs 1761–68
- Newfoundland colonial leaders
- Royal Navy admirals
- British military personnel of the French and Indian War
- Royal Navy personnel of the War of the Austrian Succession