Charles James Sholto Douglas




Charles James Sholto Douglas was born around 1732, the eldest son of Sir John Douglas, 3rd Bart of Kelhead and Christian Cunningham.

Douglas matriculated at Glasgow University in 1745 undertaking an Arts course. In 1749 he was nominated for the prestigious Snell Exhibition, an annual scholarship since the mid-17th century, which enabled the holder to undertake postgraduate study at Baillol College, Oxford. As a Snell Exhibitioner, Douglas went on to graduate BA in 1753 and MA in 1756.

Douglas became barrister-at-law of the Middle Temple, in central London. He then emigrated to Jamaica, where he was appointed Collector of Customs in 1762.

A slave owner in Jamaica, in December 1767 he released a slave, Cuaffee, who had betrayed a conspiracy. He married Basilia Dawes, daughter of James Dawes of Rockspring, Jamaica, and was the father of Captain Stair Douglas.

He married secondly Mary Bullock, daughter of Rev. Richard Bullock(2).

Children -
 • With Basilia Dawes: James Sholto: Stair; John Graham.

  • With Mary Bullock: Edward Bullock

The will of Charles James Sholto Douglas Esq was subject to probate on 20 Dec 1783 having been written on 27 May 1783 along with a Codcil same date. This will mentions his surviving children and his brothers in Law BULLOCK. (Prerogative Court of Canterbury)

See also: The Slave Trade

 

Notes:

1.  Several sources record the name as James Charles Sholto Douglas - different editions of Debretts have a different order, as an example.

2.  I have not been able to confirm which of two Rev. Richard Bullocks this is. Or perhaps the two are the same?  See the genealogy section of the Douglas Archives for more information.

Sources

Sources for this article include:
•  Legacies of British Slave-ownership database

 

This page was last updated on 12 September 2023

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