Cecilia Douglas (née Douglas) (28 February 1772 – 25 July 1862) was a Scottish art collector and philanthropist from Glasgow.[1][2] One of Scotland's wealthiest women during her lifetime, with a net worth of £40,000, her fortune was derived from the ownership of slaves in the British West Indies.[1]
Cecilia Douglas was born to John Douglas, a West Indian merchant,[1] and Cecilia Buchanan on 28 February 1772.[3] She was the fifth of 11 siblings, and one of only two daughters.[3]
Marriageedit
Douglas married Gilbert Douglas, a rich West Indian plantation owner from Balcony, on 26 January 1794, in Glasgow.[1] Their marriage lasted until Gilbert's death in 1807. No children resulted from the union.[3]
Gilbert owned two plantations: Fairfield, a cotton plantation in Demerara, and Mount Pleasant, a sugar plantation on the island of St. Vincent.[3]
Later lifeedit
After the death of Gilbert in 1807, she inherited half shares in his plantations and enslaved people in St Vincent and Demerara.[1] Her late husband also bequeathed her the use of estates in Lanarkshire in Scotland, Douglas Park and Boggs.[1]
In the 1820s she toured Europe, acquiring a variety of artworks and made profitable investments in British industry and commerce.[1]
Douglas lived at Orbiston House for the remainder of her years.[2] She commissioned a stained-glass window in Glasgow Cathedral to preserve her own and her family's legacy.[1] This has since been removed.[1]
Deathedit
Douglas died at Orbiston House on 25 July 1862.[2] She bequeathed her entire art collection to Glasgow Corporation. Some of the paintings are displayed in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abcdefghijThe new biographical dictionary of Scottish women. Elizabeth Ewan. Edinburgh. 2018. p. 117. ISBN978-1-4744-3629-8. OCLC 1057237368.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
^ abc"Cecilia Douglas (nee Douglas) | Legacies of British Slavery". www.ucl.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
^ abcdharmonyrowbc (2021-07-31). "Cecilia Douglas (1772-1862). Art Collector and Slave Owner". Glasgow's Benefactors. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
November 27, 2023
cecilia, douglas, née, douglas, february, 1772, july, 1862, scottish, collector, philanthropist, from, glasgow, scotland, wealthiest, women, during, lifetime, with, worth, fortune, derived, from, ownership, slaves, british, west, indies, born28, february, 1772. Cecilia Douglas nee Douglas 28 February 1772 25 July 1862 was a Scottish art collector and philanthropist from Glasgow 1 2 One of Scotland s wealthiest women during her lifetime with a net worth of 40 000 her fortune was derived from the ownership of slaves in the British West Indies 1 Cecilia DouglasBorn28 February 1772Glasgow ScotlandDied25 July 1862Orbiston House ScotlandKnown forArt collector and philanthropist Contents 1 Early life 2 Marriage 3 Later life 4 Death 5 ReferencesEarly life editCecilia Douglas was born to John Douglas a West Indian merchant 1 and Cecilia Buchanan on 28 February 1772 3 She was the fifth of 11 siblings and one of only two daughters 3 Marriage editDouglas married Gilbert Douglas a rich West Indian plantation owner from Balcony on 26 January 1794 in Glasgow 1 Their marriage lasted until Gilbert s death in 1807 No children resulted from the union 3 Gilbert owned two plantations Fairfield a cotton plantation in Demerara and Mount Pleasant a sugar plantation on the island of St Vincent 3 Later life editAfter the death of Gilbert in 1807 she inherited half shares in his plantations and enslaved people in St Vincent and Demerara 1 Her late husband also bequeathed her the use of estates in Lanarkshire in Scotland Douglas Park and Boggs 1 In the 1820s she toured Europe acquiring a variety of artworks and made profitable investments in British industry and commerce 1 Douglas lived at Orbiston House for the remainder of her years 2 She commissioned a stained glass window in Glasgow Cathedral to preserve her own and her family s legacy 1 This has since been removed 1 Death editDouglas died at Orbiston House on 25 July 1862 2 She bequeathed her entire art collection to Glasgow Corporation Some of the paintings are displayed in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum Glasgow 1 References edit a b c d e f g h i j The new biographical dictionary of Scottish women Elizabeth Ewan Edinburgh 2018 p 117 ISBN 978 1 4744 3629 8 OCLC 1057237368 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link CS1 maint others link a b c Cecilia Douglas nee Douglas Legacies of British Slavery www ucl ac uk Retrieved 2022 01 28 a b c d harmonyrowbc 2021 07 31 Cecilia Douglas 1772 1862 Art Collector and Slave Owner Glasgow s Benefactors Retrieved 2022 01 28 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cecilia Douglas amp oldid 1180398453, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
