Sir James Douglas, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir James Douglas
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | 1703 |
| Died | 2 November 1787 |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Rank | Admiral of the White |
| Commands held | HMS Mermaid HMS Vigilante Newfoundland Station Leeward Islands Station Jamaica Station Portsmouth Station |
| Battles/wars | Seven Years' War |
Admiral Sir James Douglas, 1st Baronet (1703 – 2 November 1787) was an important Scottish naval officer. He was also a Commodore (a high-ranking naval officer) for Newfoundland.
Sir James Douglas became a captain in the Royal Navy in 1744. A captain is a commander of a warship. In 1745, he led a ship called HMS Mermaid at a place called Louisbourg. The next year, in 1746, he commanded HMS Vigilante also at Louisbourg.
Later in 1746, he was made Commodore of the Newfoundland Station. This meant he was in charge of the naval forces in the Newfoundland area. From 1754 to 1768, he also served as a Member of Parliament for Orkney & Shetland. This meant he helped make laws for Great Britain.
In 1757, Douglas was part of a special court that tried Admiral Byng. In 1759, he was made a knight for helping capture Québec. Being knighted is a special honor given by the King or Queen.
He became the main commander of the Leeward Islands Station. In 1761, he led the group of ships that captured Dominica. He also served with other important admirals. In February 1762, he helped George Rodney capture Martinique. Then, in August 1762, he helped George Pocock capture Havana. Later that year, he became the Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station.
Sir James Douglas continued to rise in rank. He was promoted to vice-admiral in 1770. In 1774, he became the Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, a very important naval base. He was promoted to the highest rank, admiral, in 1778. In 1786, he was given the title of Baronet, which is a special hereditary title.
Sir James Douglas's Family Life
Sir James Douglas was the son of George Douglas and Elizabeth Scott. His family came from a long line of people from Roxburghshire, Scotland. They were known as the Douglas of Friarshaw family.
Sir James Douglas was married two times. His first wife was Helen Brisbane, whom he married in 1753. They had four sons and three daughters together. One of their sons, Admiral James Douglas (1755–1839), also became a famous admiral. After Helen passed away in 1766, Sir James married Lady Helen Boyle.
His son, Sir George Douglas, became the 2nd Baronet. He was a captain in the army and later served as a Member of Parliament for Roxburgh.
See also
- Great Britain in the Seven Years War
- Governors of Newfoundland
- List of people from Newfoundland and Labrador
