William Douglas (died 1821)

For other people named William Douglas, see William Douglas (disambiguation).

William Douglas of Orchardton and Almorness FRSE (d.1821) was an advocate and a British Member of Parliament in the House of Commons.

Life

Born in Kirkcudbrightshire around 1784[1] , he was the son of James Douglas of Orchardton, a Glasgow merchant, and Elizabeth Douglas, daughter of William Douglas of Worcester. He was educated at Edinburgh High School and Trinity College, Cambridge.

He was called to the Scottish Bar in 1806.[2] Alongside his uncle, Sir William Douglas of Castle Douglas, he was a partner in the Galloway Banking Co. (Douglas, Napier, & Co), established in Castle Douglas in 1806 and which ceased trading in 1821,[3] because of a bad debt.

He was president of the Speculative Society between 1806 and 1809.[4] An active Christian, he represented his parish as Ruling Elder at the Annual Meeting of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1811.

Having previously tried for Kirkcudbright, but been rejected, he was subsequently elected as member of Parliament for Plympton Erle from December 1812 to June 1816, during which time he is not known to have spoken, and has just seven recorded votes.[5]

In 1812 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Thomas Allan, Allan Maconochie, Lord Meadowbank, and John Playfair.[6]

Involved in the design of the Douglas Mausoleum[7] in Kelton, near Castle Douglas, he was interred there following his death on 9 July 1821, alongside other family members. He was unmarried.

References

  1. ↑ BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF FORMER FELLOWS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 1783 – 2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0 902 198 84 X.
  2. ↑ History of the Speculative Society of Edinburgh By Speculative society of Edinburgh
  3. ↑ Bank of Scotland: a history, 1695-1995 By Richard Saville
  4. ↑ History of the Speculative society of Edinburgh By Speculative society of Edinburgh
  5. ↑ The House of Commons 1790-1820 By Roland G. Thorne, History of Parliament Trust
  6. ↑ BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF FORMER FELLOWS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 1783 – 2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0 902 198 84 X.
  7. ↑ Mausoleums By Lynn F. Pearson
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Ranald George Macdonald
George Duckett		 Member of Parliament for Plympton Erle
1812 – 1816
With: Ranald George Macdonald		 Succeeded by
Ranald George Macdonald
Alexander Boswell
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