Major James Sholto Douglas was born on 3 July 1757. He was the son
of Charles James Sholto Douglas and Basilia Dawes, and half-brother of
Edward Bullock Douglas (q.v.).
James was the owner of The Grange in Hanover, Jamaica.
He married Sarah Dawes, daughter of James Dawes, on 13 March 1784. They
had (at least) two daughters and two sons (details below).
He was Consul-General, in Tangiers.
Douglas informed his Government that Ben Maqnin, appointed in 1827 by
Sultan Moulay Abderrahman (1822-1859) as Ambassador at large to Europe
and also as Ambassador to the Court of Saint James's, had become heavily
indebted to the English merchants with whom he previously has been in
business in Mogador. His Letter of Credence was refused by King George
IV . As a retaliation from the Sultan, Consul-General Douglas was
prohibited from returning to Tangier when on leave to England, in June
1827. As a result, the state of Anglo-Moroccan relations had reached a
very low point.
In 1828, Tangiers has been blockaded by his Majesty's ships Orestes and
Meteor. The cause of this measure is thus explained :
the English Consul demanded a sum of money (we believe about 1000
dollars) for the detention of two English merchant vessels (probably by
Barbary pirates, whom the British were trying to control); this the Dey
refused to pay, and threatened the English Consul, Mr. Douglas, with
vengeance. The latter acquainted the commanders of the English ships of
war with the circumstances, when they formed the blockade. Mr. Douglas
has been put in close confinement, and it has been notified, that if a
shot or a shell be fired against the town, the English will be put to
death. The blockade continued til 18th January 1829
Douglas's time as Consul was a turbulent one, with demands for his
removal being made in matters related to trade in both Tangier and
Gibraltar.
He
died on 12 January 1830 at age 72.
| Memorial plaque in Bath Abbey, Somerset |
 |
The will of James Sholto Douglas formerly of Tangiers and consul-general
of Morocco but late of the City of Bath was proved 08/02/1830. In the
brief will he left his holding of consolidated annuities in trust for
his two daughters Basilia Mary and Anne Elizabeth for their lives, then
to his sons Sir James Dawes Douglas and Sholto Douglas. He made no
mention of property in Jamaica or of a residuary legatee; it appears
that he had made an earlier settlement in 1826 and 1827, to which
General Sir James Duff and Edward Bullock Douglas were trustees.
British Consuls to Morocco
1817
James SHOLTO DOUGLAS (Consul general) appointed July 1817(?) but did not take up his position
because of plague until 1821
Isaac ABENSUR (Vice Consul) - Acting 1817- October 1821
1818
Tangier James SHOLTO DOUGLAS (Consul general) out of Morocco (plague)
Isaac ABENSUR (Vice Consul) - Acting
1819
Tangier James SHOLTO DOUGLAS (Consul general) out of Morocco (plague)
Isaac ABENSUR (Vice Consul) - Acting
1820
Tangier James SHOLTO DOUGLAS (Consul general) out of Morocco (plague)
Isaac ABENSUR (Vice Consul) - Acting
1821
James SHOLTO DOUGLAS (Consul general) Out of Morocco (plague) until OCtober 1821
Isaac ABENSUR (Vice Consul) - Acting until 1821
1822
James SHOLTO DOUGLAS (Consul general) salary, 1180
(V-C) salary 65
Mogador: (V-C) fees only
Rabat: (V-C) Fees only
Larache: (V-C) fees only
Tetuan: (V-C) fees only
[source: salaries, PP ***]
1823
James SHOLTO DOUGLAS (Consul general)
1824
James SHOLTO DOUGLAS (Consul general)
1825
Tangier
James SHOLTO DOUGLAS, Consul general, Salary £1180 fees £470
ABENSUR, Vice Consul, salary £65 (paid by Consul-General)
Mogador William WILTSHIRE, Vice-Consul, fees £108
Rabat ABENSUR, Vice-Consul, Fees £65
Larache TARAGAN, Vice-Consul, Fees £43
Tetuan HUSSAN, Vice-Consul, Fees £108
[source PP, 1834 xli. 387, N.B. WILTSHIRE's name in this PP is spelt "WILLSHIRE"]
1826
Tangier
James SHOLTO DOUGLAS (Consul general)
Rabat Sinbal (Sunbal)
Mogador William WILTSHIRE
[Source: Rabat - G. Beauclerk, Journey to Morocco (London: Poole & Edwards, 1828), 73;
Mogador - ibid, 219]
1827
Tangier
James SHOLTO DOUGLAS, Consul-General) allowance £2,000
on leave from June 1827 and not allowed to return by Sultan
Charles ELLIS, Vice-Consul, allowance 500, Acting Consul General from June 1827
Mogador: (V-C) allowance 500
Rabat: (V-C) allowance nil
Larache: (V-C) allowance nil
Tetuan: (V-C) allowance 300
[source: salaries, PP ***]
1828
Tangier
James SHOLTO DOUGLAS, Consul-General, on leave from June 1827 - not allowed to
return by Sultan till 4 March 1828
Charles ELLIS, Vice Consul, Acting Consul-General to March 1828
1829
James SHOLTO DOUGLAS (Consul general) Resigned (ill-health) April 1829
Edward William Auriol DRUMMOND HAY (Consul-General) Arrived 25 August 1829
Mogador: R. Chaillet (Vice-Consul)
He died, aged 73, at Bath, Somerset, in Jan 1830
Sources
Sources for this article include:
• The Position of the Moroccan Jewish community within the Anglo-Moroccan Diplomatic Relations from 1480 to 1886; Mohammed Belmahi, Rabat, Morocco, 10th May
2015.
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