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Of St. George's Square, Middlesex. "Recorded in
Burke's commoners as having lived in the parish of St. George's Hanover
Square, and John Warburton, Somerset Herald recognised him in 1754 as a
"gentleman".
' an innkeeper in Hyde Park Road, London.'
Where Apsley House now stands, if we may accept the
statement of Charles Knight, was the tavern called the "Hercules'
Pillars," "the same at which the redoubted Squire Western, with his
clerical satellite, is represented as taking up his abode on his arrival
in London, and conveying the fair Sophia." The sign of the "Hercules'
Pillars" was given to the tavern probably as marking, at that time, the
extreme "west-end" of London. Its name is recorded by Wycherley, in his
Plain Dealer, and is said to have been a haunt of the Marquis of Granby,
and of other members of the titled classes. The character of the house in
Fielding's time may be gathered from the following quotation from "Tom
Jones," touching Squire Western's arrival in London:—"The squire sat down
to regale himself over a bottle of wine, with his parson and the landlord
of the 'Hercules' Pillars,' who, as the squire said, would make an
excellent third man, and would inform them of the news of the town; for,
to be sure, says he, he knows a good deal, since the horses of many of
'the quality' stand at his door."
Mr. J. H. Jesse tells us that the
tavern in question stood between Apsley House and Hamilton Place, and
that, on account of its situation, it was much frequented by gentlemen
from the West of England. Wherever may have been the exact spot on which
the house stood, it seems at best to have been a comfortable but low inn
on the outskirts of the town, where gentlemen's horses and grooms were put
up, and farmers and graziers resorted.
Possessed the estate of Caldicot Hill near Harrow,
where he died in 1762. He died intestate and letters of administration
were applied for by his wife, Mary. However she died a year later and the
letters of administration were granted to Thomas Douglas.
Won "The Oaks" horse race with Teetotum
John married Mary Gardner, daughter of William
Gardiner and Anne Peck, on 29 Apr 1731 in Bennetts Wharf, London (Mary
Gardner was born in 1708 in Croyden, Surrey and christened on 5 Nov 1708
in Saint John The Baptist, Croydon, Surrey, England 85 and died in 1763.)
- Birth: 1707
- Death: 1762
Father: Thomas Douglas b: 1655
(or 1664)
Mother: Mary Gregson
Marriage 1 Mary Gardner,
Children:
- Thomas Douglas
- John Leigh Douglas, 1733 -
- Mary Douglas, 1738 -
- John Douglas, 1740 -
- William Douglas, 1744 - 7th child
- William Douglas, 1745 - 1810
- Martha Douglas, 1748 -
- (Rev) James Douglas youngest child
See also:
• Hercules Pillars
(10mb pdf)
Further details on this entry would be
welcome.
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