James Ley Douglass (1797 - 1855)

Born 17 May 1797 in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Maria (Wingfield) Douglass — married Jun 1831 in Stamford, England

Descendants

Died 26 Dec 1855 at age 58 in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Biography

James was born in 1797. He was the son of James Alexander Douglass and Charlotte Middleton. He passed away in 1855.

The Douglass family received an extensive write up in the J C Davies & Michael Brown book Victorian Harborough, 1981. Three Douglass lawyers practiced here for a century." @40 High Street, Market Harborough, Leicester, England

J L (James Ley) Douglass first appears in Harborough from Loughborough in 1820 but possibly had been here for some time. An advert had appeared in The Times 15th Sept 1820 mentioning G Wartnaby & Douglass. Another advert in The Times in 1826 for the Cogges Rectory, near Witney, Oxon, named Wartnaby & Douglass as the lawyers. An announcement 11th April 1828 Leicester Journal was of the death at MH of Edward Douglass, age 18, brother of James Ley Douglass, solicitor of MH. In 2nd May 1828 LJ is a single advert that Douglass & Abbey are solicitors in MH. Abbey was James Abbey likely to be the son of John Abbey surgeon in the 1820’s Directories. By July 1828 it is G Wartnaby & Douglass again in the partnership which seems to have been finally dissolved in March 1829, when the last Wartnaby & Douglass entry is seen.

James Ley Douglass took over no 40 High Street between 1815 and 1834, their marriage being Jun 1831 and their first child being born 1832.

The first mention of the Douglass family in Harborough is in the 1822 Directory and the Douglass’ appear in every directory afterwards. James L Douglass married Maria Wingfield, eldest daughter of the Rev Thos Wingfield of Teigh in Rutland. They married in Stamford not at Teigh. [Leicester Journal 3 jun1831.] The directories do not show which property they occupied. By 1836 ads appear for Douglass & Abbey (attorneys) in The Times. The Rating Lists for 1834 and 1838 say this # 40 (high Steet, Market Harborough) is the residence & law office of the Douglass family.

Another genealogical researcher has identified that James Ley Douglass was christened 21 Jul 1797 and that after his Jun 1831 Stamford marriage Charlotte Middleton. there were 6 (possibly 8) children of whom James Heger Douglas was number 2, Edward Bosworth was no 5 and Arthur was no 6. The latter featured on a website devoted to migrants to South Africa as he became an MLP (Member of a Provincial Legislature.) A South African descendent has posted a photograph of him on this website 1820settlers.com.

The 1841 census gives us the name of the children, Harriett born 1832, Charlotte (spouse), James Hilton, Maria, Wingfield, Alfred, Elizabeth, Edward 4 months. 5 staff make up the household. In charge are James Ley Douglass, born Loughborough 1798 and Maria his wife, who was born at Bulwick in Northants in 1800.

The 1851 census shows both parents but the only children listed are Charlotte (spouse), Anna Maria, Elizabeth, Edward & Arthur. Harriett is missing, James Hilton is probably at Rugby boarding school, Wingfield also at School, he is a visitor in 1871 but claims to have been born in Cottingham not MH and has become a Lieutenant in the Army. Alfred is missing and there is another son Arthur born 1843, photo above.

The family was traced by J C Davies for page 99 of his Victorian Harborough.

He found that Edward Bosworth Douglass was with his brother as a trainee solicitor and then joined the Catholic Church rising through the priesthood to become Very Reverend Canon Edward B Douglass in Nottingham, dying in April 1900 and to whom a memorial window was dedicated in our Lady of Victories Church, MH. (MH Advertiser 17 Apr 1900 & 5 Feb 1901) The window to St Edward & St Peter has been refitted into the extended church. [A picture appears on page 35 of the history booklet by J T McEvoy in 2005.] Two of the sisters became nuns being called Sister Ambrose & Sister Cecilia and ran a children's’ home on Coventry Rd. Wingfield had another name Thomas and he became a priest but with the Church of England. [He was following his mother’s father also Rev Thos Wingfield of Teigh, Rutland.] J C Davies reports Rev Wingfield Douglass, died age 28 in New Town, Tasmania.(1865) .This latter date clashes with the 1871 visitor on the Census, who might have been a cousin sharing a family name. Davies reports the youngest, Arthur, emigrated to South Africa to become an expert on Ostrich raising and a Colonial Secretary.

The Times has an entry in 18 Dec 1842 that the partnership of Douglass & Abbey will cease. In the 1846 Pigot’s Directory, James Abbey, is an attorney with his residence in “Lubbenham”. James Ley Douglass continued on his own until his death 26 Dec 1855 [Freestone’s Diary MHA23Mar 1896].

Research kindly provided by Bob Hakewill, researching the history of 40 High Street, Market Harborough, England

Christening: 21 JUL 1797. All Saints, Loughborough, Leicester, England. Source: England, Leicestershire Parish Registers, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:2:QRLR-DB7R

Marriage 26 MAY 1831. All Saints, Stamford, Lincoln, England. Note: Marriage to: Maria Wingfield.

'Residence' 1841 Age: 43-44. Census: 1841 High Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England. Source: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:2:1JDY-K98 . ”England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, Household of James Douglass, Bardon, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom

1851 High St, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England. Age: 53-54. Occupation: Solicitor. Solicitor (Landed Proprietor Farming 135 Acres Employing 10 Laboures).

'Died' 26 DEC 1855. Doveridge, Derbyshire, England. Age: 58.

Buried 31 DEC 1855. Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom.

"England, Leicestershire Parish Registers, 1533-1991," (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:2:QRLT-V7FG : 6 June 2018), Entry for James Ley Douglass, 31 Dec 1855; records extracted by findmypast, images digitized by FamilySearch; citing Burial, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom.

Family notices of his death were published in various UK newspapers:

28 DEC 1855. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom.

29 DEC 1855. Leicester, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom.