Douglases of Grangemuir facts for kids
Grangemuir House was once the home of a branch of the famous Clan Douglas family in Scotland. This large house and its land were bought by Walter Irvine. He was a Scot who owned sugar farms in Tobago and another house in Surrey, England.
Later, the house went to Irvine's daughter, Elizabeth. She married Lord William Robert Keith Douglas. He was the fourth son of Sir William Douglas, 4th Baronet. Lord William was also the younger brother of two Marquesses of Queensberry. Grangemuir House is located near Pittenweem in Fife, Scotland. Today, it is part of the Grangemuir Woodland Chalet Park.
The house was built in the 1700s. It was designed in a French style and used as a hunting lodge for the family. In the 1970s, the building was covered with a rough concrete finish. This was a cheap way to stop dampness. The Douglas family often used mottos like Jamais Arrière (Never Behind) or Forward. However, in 1979, Walter Francis Edward Douglas, a family leader, changed his motto. He chose Tendir and Trewe (Tender and True). This motto came from a 15th-century poem called Buke of the Howlat.
History of Grangemuir House
Grangemuir House and about 2,700 acres (11 square kilometers) of land were given to Lord William Robert Keith Douglas (1783–1859). In 1824, he married Elizabeth Irvine (who died in 1864). They had three children: William (1824–1868), Walter (1825–1901), and Charles (1837–1918).
In 1866, the children opened the Douglas Cottage Hospital in St Andrews. This was a way to remember their mother, Lady William Douglas. Today, the St Andrews Memorial Hospital still has a "Douglas Ward" because of this.
The next family leader was Walter Douglas Irvine. In 1870, he married Anne Frances Lloyd. She was the daughter of a doctor from Ireland. Walter and Anne had six children. Several of them were profoundly deaf. Some of these children used the last name "Irvine" or "Douglas," instead of "Douglas-Irvine":
- William Keith Douglas-Irvine (1876–1957)
- Capt. (Walter) Francis Douglas (1878–1950)
- Helen Florence Douglas MA (1880–1947), a well-known translator, historian, and writer. She was also one of the first women to graduate from St Andrews University.
- Rev. Henry Archibald Douglas-Irvine BA MA (1883–1962), a Parson (a type of priest).
- Charles Gordon Douglas-Irvine (1885–1946)
- Capt. Edward Percy Douglas (1886–?)
- Lucy Christina Douglas-Irvine (1874?–19??), an artist.
- Elizabeth Douglas-Irvine (?–?)
After Walter Douglas died in 1901, most of the family's properties were rented out. This included Grangemuir House and its farm. A man named Col. Erskine rented the house from 1902 and later bought it in 1920. Anne, Walter's wife, died in 1917.
Henry Archibald Douglas-Irvine, who was a parson, married Beatrice Alice Mabel Gratix in 1913. They had a son, Walter Francis Edward Douglas, born in 1917.
In 1920, parts of the Grangemuir and Dunino farms were put up for sale. Not many were sold at first because the prices were too high. The house was used until the 1970s. Then it became very run down. It was later turned into a caravan park. It has reportedly been torn down recently because it was unsafe.
Henry's son, Walter Francis Edward Douglas (1917–2013), moved to Lincolnshire. He became an art teacher at Stamford School. He married a woman from Belgium. The oldest living member of this family branch is Francis Gustave Douglas (born 1946). He is a professor and has lived in Cork, Ireland since 1980. His son, Niall Edward Douglas (born 1978), is the next in line.
The family branch that built Dunino church and primary school still has special burial rights. They can bury their family members in one half of the church graveyard. This graveyard is near St Andrews and Grangemuir. The family reconnected with the area in the 1990s and 2000s. This happened when two family members attended the nearby St Andrews University. You can find records about the Grangemuir estates at St Andrews University Library. These papers were saved in 1994 and given to the university.
Money Matters at Grangemuir
In 1818, Grangemuir House and its land were worth about £40,000. This would be like £38 million today! It's a huge amount of money.
In 1855, Lord William Douglas owned 28 properties. Before he died in 1859, he built Dunino church. He also rebuilt the school, making it much bigger for 90 children.
In 1872, when Walter Douglas took over, 44 properties were listed. He also owned more land that wasn't officially registered. He bought more land in 1873 and built many more properties. By 1895, he had 64 properties. Most of these earned money from people renting them. In 1880, Grangemuir made £5,298 a year. This would be like £3,917,000 in 2016.
The family started to have money problems around the 1870s. They didn't buy more land after 1873. When Walter Douglas died in 1901, his personal belongings were worth £3,709. His real estate (land and buildings) was worth £56,860. This is like £2,224,000 and £34 million today. However, he had a big loan of £32,013 against his property. So, his total wealth was about £28,556, which is like £17 million today.
In 1920, the properties put up for sale were valued at £53,900 in total. This is about £11.9 million today. But most of them didn't sell because the prices were too high. Other landowners nearby also lost a lot of money. Their property values dropped by up to two-thirds between 1924 and 1945.
It is said that Walter Douglas's oldest son, William Keith Douglas-Irvine, needed a special fund to take care of him. When his brother Henry took over this fund in 1957, only £20,000 was left. This is like £1,303,000 today.
Family Photographs
<gallery |File:Lord_William_Robert_Keith_Douglas.jpg |Lord William Robert Keith Douglas |File:Walter_Douglas_Irvine.jpg|Walter Douglas-Irvine of Grangemuir and Dunino |File:Lucy_Elizabeth_Helen_Douglas.jpg |Lucy, Elizabeth & Helen, the daughters of Walter Douglas-Irvine |File:Lady_william_douglas.jpg |Lady William Douglas |File:Francis_Henry_Ned_Douglas.jpg |Francis, Henry & Edward, sons of Walter Douglas-Irvine |File:Henry_Archibald_Douglas.jpg |The Rev. Henry Archibald Douglas-Irvine, son of Walter Douglas-Irvine |File:Walter_Francis_Edward_Douglas.jpg |Walter Francis Edward Douglas-Irvine, son of Rev. Henry Archibald Douglas-Irvine |File:Dunino_Church.jpg |Dunino Church, the site of the Douglas family graveyard |title=The Douglas of Grangemuir family|width=160|height=170|align=center|footer=|alt1=Lord William Robert Keith Douglas|alt2=Walter Douglas-Irvine of Grangemuir and Dunino|alt3=Lucy, Elizabeth & Helen, the daughters of the Walter Douglas-Irvine|alt4=Lady William Douglas}}
