Colin McMillan has provided the following:
Francis Douglas was born in Alnwick. His birth was registered in the Oct-Nov-Dec quarter of 1892. He was the third child of James Douglas and Ellen Douglas who, in 1901, were 40 and 41 respectively. James worked as a domestic coachman, born in Ingram. Ellen was born in Howtel. At the time of the census the family name was Douglass and Francis, then 8, was known as Frank. His older brothers were John (11) and Robert (10) and the younger siblings were Thomas (4) and Katie (2). They were all born in Alnwick except for Katie who was born in Morpeth. There was also a boarder living with them: Elizabeth Darling, who was 34, single and living on her own means. The address was 55 Bridge Street, Morpeth.
By 1911 the family had increased with the addition of 10 year old James junior and Joseph who was 7. They were now all living at Oldgate Street, Morpeth. The census document has Collingwood House written in the address section and although this has been crossed out it is possible that that is where they were at the time, as several families were living there.
22/871 Corporal Francis Douglas served with the 22nd (Tyneside Scottish) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in action in the France and Flanders European theatre of war on 22nd June 1916.
Morpeth Herald 30/06/1916 carries a brief obituary:
MORPETH SOLDIER KILLED IN FRANCE
"On Tuesday, Mr and Mrs Jas. Douglass [sic], Newgate Street, Morpeth,received the sad news from a comrade that their son, Corporal Frank Douglass,[sic] Tyneside Scottish Brigade, had been killed by a shell in the trenches in France on the 21st inst. The comrade said when he heard the sad news he went and saw him buried in a cemetery behind the trenches. The deceased was well known and respected in Morpeth. He was for some years a member of the Morpeth Boys’ Brigade, and afterwards served a term in the Northumberland Yeomanry. On the outbreak of war he joined the Tyneside Scottish, and has been in France for some time. He is an old scholar of the Presbyterian Sunday School, an attender at the Presbyterian Church, and his name was one of the first to be inserted on the Presbyterian Roll of Honour. Great sympathy is felt for his father and mother and brothers and sister."
Francis Douglas is remembered at Morpeth on M17.01 M17.09 and M17.29 where his rank is given as Sgt.
