John Douglas, stuff merchant of Bradford, Yorkshire,
England, was born 31 Dec 1809 in Stranraer, the son of John Douglas,
Burgess of Stranraer, woolen/linen draper and silk mercer and his wife
Jean McConbling or Comlin [sister of Nathaniel Comlin]. He had eight
siblings.
He married 2 June 1840 in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Janet
(Jessie) Andrews.
Bruntwood Hall is an impressive building in the centre
of Bruntwood Park.
The Victorian Gothic building was constructed
in 1861, making it over 150 years old. It is accessed from either
Bruntwood lane, or Schools Hill.
Bruntwood Hall was built for a
John Douglas, a Stuff merchant from Bradford, Yorkshire, his hard work
and success afforded him the ability to buy the Hall.
He was
married to Janet (Jessie) Andrews who chose the name 'Bruntwood' from
her east Ayrshire home roots. John Douglas died in 1863, just two years
after moving into the property. Unlike Abney Hall, Moseley Old Hall,
Depleach Hall and Cheadle Hall, Bruntwood doesn't have the history that
is afforded to it's other neighbourhood Halls.
However, it was
used as the Cheadle and Gatley Town Hall between 1944 and 1959 before it
was then sold to a timber supply company for £10,750, the Town Hall
moved over to Abney Hall.
Bruntwood Hall has been sold a number
of times, it at some point it also served as a racehorse stud farm and
during its time was one of the most successful such farms in the north
of England. It has also much more recently been used by a filming
company and offices. it is currently on sale for a princely sum of
£1,295,000 and has a large basement that has 4 rooms, ground floor with
12 rooms, first floor with 10 rooms, plus a second floor with another 8
rooms so not a bad size.
The grounds and parkland have been open
to the public since the 1940s, with sprawling fields and a lake.
Bruntwood Hall has 100 acres of sprawling parkland, although part of it
was used in the mid 1990s for the construction of John Lewis and
Sainsbury's superstores.
Research Note:
• On 2 May 1833 the
partnership between Robert Milligan, Robert Monies and John Douglas
trading as Monies, Douglas & Co., linen and woollen drapers, was
dissolved by mutual consent as regards John Douglas, the remaining two
partners continuing the business. On 18 January 1851 the partnership
between Robert Milligan, Henry Forbes, Nathaniel Briggs and John
Venimore Godwin trading as Milligan, Forbes & Co, was dissolved by
mutual consent as regards John Venimore Godwin.
• John's brother, William was also a stuff merchant in Bradford. Born in
1815 in Stranraer, he died on 1st December 1882 at The Hall, Ilkley,
Yorkshire. He married in February 1843 at Mespil Parade, Dublin, Mary
Ann Harvey. (Probably the W. F. Douglas of Ilkley Hall who had a son, D.
Fraser Douglas (?a solicitor). And whose daughter, Clara, married on 7th
May 1896, at Algiers, William Thomson, M.D. Edin)
Read more:
• The
Douglas Families of Stoneykirk and Two Mark, Wigtonshire [pdf]
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