Lt-Commander James Sholto Douglas
James Sholto Douglas was born at Stanley Place, Chester, in 1889,
the youngest of seven children of Charles Philip and Jane Wylde.
His siblings were: Dorothy Mary (1875-1930), John Philip
(1876-1914), Charles Geoffrey (1878-1929), Robert Vaughan
(1881-1922), Helen (1883-1884) and Henry Kenneth (1885-1919). His
father, Charles, was a solicitor. By 1891, the family had moved to
St Martin’s House, St Martin’s Field, Chester. The household also
comprised a governess, cook, parlourmaid, housemaid and kitchenmaid.
James was educated at a prep school on Somers Road, Malvern, where
he was at the time of the 1901 census. It is not known which school
James attended after this, but it was not Malvern College. After
school, James joined the Navy as a midshipman. James’ naval career
began well, being described as “zealous and willing, should make a
good officer”. He served first on “Britannia” from 15th May 1904 to
15th September 1905, then on “Irresistible” from 15th September 1905
to 13th September 1909. During this period, James’ father, Charles,
died at Chester in March 1908 leaving over £32,000.
In December 1908, following a medical examination, James was granted
permission to enter King Edward VII Hospital for a slight operation
at his own expense, which he did so on 19th January 1909. On 9th
February 1909 he entered a Convalescent Home; he was re-examined on
10th March and declared fit. James failed his seamanship exam in
March 1909 as he said that he was not physically fit to undergo an
examination so soon after a long illness. He applied for remission
of the penalty, but this was refused. He was told to present himself
for re-examination in July 1909 and this time he passed. He had
recently been appointed Acting Sub-Lieutenant.
James transferred to “Hindustan” on 29th September 1909 and remained
there until discharge. James took his Part I exam in September 1909
but failed. He had further attempts in January 1910 and April 1910
but again failed. By this time, comments about his progress were not
so favourable: “Has plenty of ability but does not show any zeal in
learning his profession” and “Shows zeal and ability but is somewhat
careless”. After the third failure, he was removed from the Navy
List on 14th May 1910. James appealed, but this was refused a week
later. The Naval records note that Mrs Douglas then also appealed
and asked that the case of her son might be reconsidered. She was
informed that the authorities were unable to accede to this request.
After leaving the Navy, James had to find a new career for himself
and it seems that at this point he turned towards the church. In
1911, James, then aged 22, was living at Westbury-on-Severn,
Gloucestershire, lodging in the home of widow Clara Brazington, and
employed as a parish worker. Also boarding there was Owen Dudley who
was a Clerk in Holy Orders. James’ widowed mother, Jane, still lived
at St Martin’s House, Chester, in 1911 with Dorothy and Henry and
four servants.
It may have been soon after this that James moved to Kentish Town,
London, to be a parish worker at St Silas the Martyr. He certainly
had connections with the church as his name appears on a brass
plaque in the church as one who died in the First World War. Mission
work had begun in this impoverished area of Kentish Town in 1877 and
a church built in the 1880s. A new church opened for worship in 1912
which was uncompromisingly Anglo-Catholic and this was probably the
period in his life when James embraced Anglo-Catholicism.
James moved to Badsey at about the end of 1913 to take charge of St
Benedict Boys’ Home. The previous year, the Reverend John Ludlow
Lopes, a clergyman from Birmingham, had opened a boys’ home at
Badsey Manor House. Reverend Lopes was an Anglo-Catholic who later
converted to Roman Catholicism. He later acquired The Stone House
(now known as Badsey Hall) and opened another home in the village.
Younger boys were at The Stone House, which he renamed St
Christopher’s, and older boys were at Badsey Manor House, which he
renamed St Benedict’s. James was certainly living in Badsey in
December 1913 as he was shown as the guardian of William Barwood of
Badsey Manor House who started at Badsey Council School. The March
1914 Parish Magazine noted that “Mr J S Douglas of the Manor House
is Secretary and Collector-in-Chief for Badsey”; this was for
raising funds for the new Warwickshire Bishopric fund.
On the outbreak of war, James Sholto Douglas, as a member of the
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, was called up. The London Gazette of
28th August 1914 records that he was commissioned Temporary
Lieutenant.
James was with Hawke Battalion at the Defence of Antwerp in 1914.
Hawke Battalion was part of 1st Brigade, Royal Naval Division
founded by the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Spencer
Churchill, in late August 1914. In October 1914 a large number of
men of Hawke Battalion were either captured by the Germans or
crossed into Holland and interned for the duration, as they
retreated from Antwerp.
The Parish Magazine of November 1914 reported as follows:
Lieut Douglas appears to have had an exciting time with the Naval
Brigade in Antwerp, where he was in command of a machine-gun
section. He made the personal acquaintance of the now famous
trenches and was apparently one of the last to leave the city,
“dodging shells and falling houses” in the progress through it. But
for his resourcefulness, which enabled him to reach Ostend in
safety, he would probably now be interned in Holland instead of
being luminously housed at the Crystal Palace.
In November 1914, James applied to transfer to the Armoured Car
Section, but this was refused. On 24th December 1914 James was
appointed Temporary Lieutenant-Commander. Interestingly, Apsley
Cherry Garrard, who travelled in 1912 with Scott on his ill-fated
venture to the Antarctic, and who wrote the book, “The Worst Journey
in the World”, appears in the same list.
On 1st May 1915 James was appointed to HMS "Excellent" pending being
transferred to Sea-service. He was then attached to RNAS Longship
Airship Station, Aberdeen.
Some time in 1916, James fell sick and was invalided home on 9th
November 1916. He died at his home in Chester of tubercular
meningitis on 18th December 1916. The Parish Magazine of January
1917 records his death:
It is with very deep regret that we chronicle the death of
Lt-Commander James Sholto Douglas, late of Badsey Manor House, at
the comparatively early age of 27. As our readers will remember, he
volunteered for service with the Navy immediately on the outbreak of
war, and was gazetted Lieutenant in the RNVR after an interview with
the First Lord of the Admiralty. He went to Antwerp in command of a
machine-gun section, and only escaped internment by his courage and
resourcefulness. When we last referred to him in these columns he
was stationed with the Naval Brigade at the Crystal Palace. He was
subsequently attached to the RNAS as armament officer and was for
some time at Dunquerque, taking up an appointment as Lieut-Commander
near Aberdeen in October last. In November he began to suffer very
much from very severe headaches and was sent home to Chester. He
rapidly became much worse; and was unconscious almost continuously
to the time of his death. A few days before his death he had very
slight conscious intervals; he recognised his mother and asked for
one of his brothers, and on one occasion felt for his crucifix under
his pillow and looked at it. He passed away on Monday morning, Dec
18th, and on Tuesday his body was taken into the Lady Chapel of
Chester Cathedral where it remained until the funeral on Wednesday.
There was a Requiem on Wednesday morning, a watch having been kept
all Tuesday night by relations and friends. The following tribute
from his brother seems to describe the man just as we knew him.
I thank Thee, God, for his life here,
For all his graces, all his ways so dear.
Ready of repartee,
Soul of all company,
Bright with the love of men because of God;
Strong in the love of God for other men.
The Sacramental way on earth he trod,
And now his earthly body’s dead – well, then,
I praise and thank Thee, still, O God.
James Sholto Douglas' 1914 Star and other medals were issued to his
mother, Mrs Jane Douglas.
The Douglas family appear to have been ill-fated. Whilst Charles and
Jane Douglas lived to the ages of 67 and 76 respectively, their
children were not so fortunate. All died before their time and Jane
Douglas had to endure the loss of three children before her death in
1919 (as well as James’ death in 1917, a baby daughter, Helen, had
died in 1884, and John, the eldest son, had died in New Zealand in
1914). Just 12 days after his mother’s death, 33-year-old Henry who,
like James, had been a Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Naval
Volunteer Reserve, also died. Robert Douglas died in Switzerland in
1921 and Charles Douglas died in 1929. The last sibling to die was
Dorothy Mary, the first-born, who remained a spinster and died at
Chester in 1930, aged 55.
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James Sholto Douglas was buried in Chester (Overleigh) Cemetery. A
private memorial was erected in the form of a cross with vases and
curbs, © The War Graves Photographic Project.
Source: Badsey Parish Magazine for
1917 - with kind permission
Sources
Sources for this article include:
•
Badsey Parish Magazine
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gratefully accepted
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