Letter from Charles Douglas to Patrick Douglas, 8 August
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/04/546
- Alt. number
- 3.6139
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Douglas, Charles (Author)
- Recipient
- Douglas, Patrick
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/04/546
- Alt. number
- 3.6139
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Douglas, Charles (Author)
- Recipient
- Douglas, Patrick
Description
Letter from Charles Douglas to Patrick Douglas, dated 8th August.
This is one of two preserved letters relating to the provision of a man to fill the post of assistant overseer on the sugar plantation of Charles Douglas in Jamaica. Here he writes to his brother Dr Patrick Douglas about financial matters. On the reverse of the letter is Dr Douglas' reply, which relates the hiring of a man (Burns) to sail with Captain Brown to Jamaica. Burns had met with Dr Douglas in August to arrange the details.
According to the Centre for the study of the legacies of British Slavery, Charles Douglas owned 19 slaves. This is based on his will from 1816, with the inventory of his effects made including nineteen named 'Negroes' and household effects. According to the Burns Chronicle of 1916; He had several estates, amongst which were Finches of 160 acres and Nightingale Grove of 300 acres. In December, 1785, Charles Douglas purchased his first slave, named Andrew from Mrs. Janet Colt of Leitch Hill, in the county of Perth. Scotland.
Burns never made this journey to the West Indies. The growing success of his recently published edition of poems and the birth of his twins to Jean convinced him to stay in Scotland.
Burns never made this journey to the West Indies. The growing success of his recently published edition of poems and the birth of his twins to Jean convinced him to stay in Scotland.
Archive information
Place of creation
Themes
Hierarchy
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Correspondence and other documents relating to Robert Burns
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- Letter from Charles Douglas to Patrick Douglas, 8 August