A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Douglas, William Manners Wellington
DOUGLAS. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 14; h-p., 6.)
William Manners Wellington Douglas, born 21 June, 1814, is eldest son of Capt. Peter John Douglas, R.N.
This officer entered the Royal Naval College in Aug. 1827; and embarked, 15 Aug. 1829, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Briton 46, Capt. Hon. Wm. Gordon, whom he ultimately accompanied to the West Indies. In May, 1830, he there removed to the Blanche 46, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Arthur Farquhar; from which ship he appears to have been subsequently lent, from Feb. 1832, to Jan. 1833, to the Ariadne 28, Capt. Chas. Phillips. Towards the close of the latter year Mr. Douglas sailed for the Mediterranean in the Thunderer 84, Capt.Wm. Furlong Wise. Having passed his examination 24 June, 1834, he next joined the Trinculo 16, Capts. Jas. Rich. Booth and Henry Joseph Puget, stationed off the coast of Africa; where, up the river Bonny, with the assistance of a prize-slaver under Mr. Fiddes, Master’s Assistant, we find him, in Dec. 1835, very gallantly repelling, in a pinnace with only 10 hands, an attack made upon him by 13 large canoes full of armed men. He afterwards served in the West Indies on board the Melville and Cornwallis 74’s, bearing the flags in succession of Sir Peter Halkett and Sir Chas. Paget; of which latter ship he was confirmed a Lieutenant 30 Jan. 1839. His next appointments were – 22 Oct. 1839, to the Stag 46, Commodore Thos. Ball Sulivan – and, 26 June and 10 Oct. 1841, to the Winchester 52, and Seringapatam 46, each bearing the broad pendant of his father. Since his last promotion, which took place 12 Nov. in the latter year. Commander Douglas has been on half-pay.
He married, 10 Jan. 1843, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of the late Edw. Hawes, Esq., of Woodford, co. Essex. Agents – Pettet and Newton.