Gabriel Douglas
| First name | Gabriel |
|---|---|
| Last name | Douglas |
| Country of Origin | Scotland |
| Date of Birth | 14/6/1822 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | c1858 |
| Submitted by | Sally Douglas |
Story
Gabriel Douglas was born in 1822 in Muirkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland – he became a Watchmaker and Jeweller both in Scotland and in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Before him was a history of Clock and Watch making – his grand-father John Douglas born c1754 was a Master Clock and Watch maker in Jedburgh, Roxburghshire at least from 1784 to 1795; his father Walter Douglas 1786 became a Master Clock and Watch maker – living in Muirkirk, Old Cumnock and Galston in Ayrshire; Dollar in Clackmannon and Holytown, Bothwell (Glasgow) Lanarkshire where he saw out his final days at the age of 84.
Moreover the “Douglas” uncles of Gabriel were Watchmakers, as were many of his male cousins and three of his five brothers – Walter, George and James Douglas. Another brother John Douglas was a Snuff Box and Portrait Painter and Carte-de-Viste and Portrait Photographer with his own businesses in Glasgow. A cousin of Gabriel’s James Douglas, a son of his uncle Gabriel Douglas was a Portrait Painter and Picture Restorer in Edinburgh from at least 1851 to 1871 and in Croydon, Surrey, England by 1881 at the age of 70; James’s only son Edwin James Douglas became a famous Genre, Animal and Portrait Painter – with paintings held in the Royal Collection and Tate Gallery – etchings by James Douglas are available (online). James and Edwin James Douglas both had exhibitions at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh.
Gabriel Douglas (1822) was a Watchmaker in his early adult life in Holytown (Glasgow) and Airdrie, New Monkland – Lanarkshire and he worked alone, and with a brother George Douglas as Watchmakers. In Melbourne, Gabriel Douglas shows up in a Sands and Kenny’s Directory as being a Watchmaker at 157 Collins Street in 1858. George Douglas also migrated to Melbourne in c1864 as he shows up in records with Gabriel by then.
Gabriel Douglas and his second wife Mary Ann Ryan born in Geelong c1842, had nine children (his first wife was Agnes Hogg whom he married in 1845 in Glasgow). Gabriel’s three sons – George, Gabriel also known as Gilbert and Robert William Arthur – who reached adulthood became Watchmakers too! Gabriel Douglas died in 1902 at the age of 80 at 75 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy South, Victoria – he had re-married in 1887 at Williamstown, Victoria to Isabella Nicol Stalley.
Descendants of Gabriel Douglas (1822 ) include – Aeronautical Engineers; Antarctic Explorers and Expeditioners; a RAAF Pilot, Test Pilot and A1 Flying Instructor; a Barrister and QC; Commerce Graduates; a Professor of Botany; Accountants; a Real Estate agent; an Advertising Executive, PC and Internet Gurus; Builders and Mechanics. While the recreations of these descendants including – boat, model yacht and aeroplane building; yachting; speed boating; water skiing; life saving; swimming; snow skiing; rowing; gliding; motor bike riding; painting; horse riding and playing the base drum. So there was no lack of enterprise!