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A dour old Scot — John Douglas of Jedburgh, born c. 1750. Painted in 1826 by his grandson, James. The painting was later restored in 1989. |
This website, created by
Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.|
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A dour old Scot — John Douglas of Jedburgh, born c. 1750. Painted in 1826 by his grandson, James. The painting was later restored in 1989. |
WEE LADDIE SHOWS PROMISE
First published in Along the Furlong in January 2002.
Please note that I cannot enter into correspondence on valuations of paintings nor advise on where best to sell items.
Copyright Valerie Martin 2000
I have found that the tracing of ancestors is a difficult task and tracing those of Edwin Douglas, the artist who lived at Fox Down in Findon in Victorian days, has been no exception. Since running this website I have received many e-mails from all over the world concerning this work (especially the States where it appears to be extremely popular).
The dour old Scot in the eighteenth century painting above is John Douglas of Jedburgh who, no doubt, had never heard of Findon. He was from a family of some repute and was born around 1750. He had a son, Gabriel, who was born some thirty years later.
Gabriel's son by his first wife, James, was born in Kilmarnock in 1810 and at the age of 15 it is related that young James wished to become an artist. In 1826 the boy painted the above portrait of the "dour old Scot", his Grandfather, in order to prove to one and all that he could perform a good likeness — which it seems he did. He did not look back.
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Self-Portrait executed in 1830 by James Douglas (1810-1888) when he was aged 20. (He was Edwin Douglas' father). The painting is shown after restoration in 1989. |
James became a portrait painter of some celebrity. His likeness of Lord Melville was hung in the Archer's Hall of the Royal Scottish Academy and he painted several pictures for the Duke of Buccleuch, Earl of Strathmore and Earl of Moray. His large equestrian portrait, after Vandyck, was hung in the Great Hall of Darnaway Castle.
James had five daughters — Leonora, Georgina, Julia, Cecilia and Caroline, and then finally one son who was to follow in his footsteps. This was Edwin James who was born on 14th July 1848.
I have discovered that Edwin grew up in Edinburgh in this Victorian household of girls all older than himself. As a child he often withdrew from his sisters and could be found quietly drawing and sketching animals.
I have found that a tragic blow struck when he was sent home from school at the age of 12 years being considered too delicate to pursue the necessary curriculum. As events turned out, it proved to be a blessing in disguise.
The family physician, Doctor Matthews Duncan, surprisingly prescribed not a potion, but a pony. His father purchased as prescribed and under the doctor's supervision, young Edwin was set the task of grooming and caring for his four-legged friend.
A tutor was substituted in lieu of attending school. In comparison to formal education, Edwin found this congenial arrangement a surprising pleasure. He continued to diligently care for his equine friend for the next three years and as a consequence his health blossomed.
Continue if you would like to read about Edwin Douglas in his teens in The First Rung.
Back to Edwin James Douglas Index
This is Findon — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.
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E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com |
