Orbiston House, photographed in 1870 by Thomas Annan.
Originally known as Douglas Park, the house was located on the banks of the South Calder Water. When the West Indies merchant Gilbert Douglas died in 1807 his widow inherited the estate and added neighbouring Orbiston, giving the latter name to the enlarged property and to the old house.
Cecilia Douglas lived until the ripe old age of 91. In 1861 she became the sole survivor of the subscribers to the Glasgow Tontine, and inherited the Tontine buildings on Trongate. When she died the following year, her extensive art collection was gifted to the city.
The estate was subsequently acquired by the coalmaster and ironmaster William Neilson (1810-1882).
Reference: Sp Coll Dougan Add. 73
Glasgow University Library, Special Collections
Keywords:
art collections, benefactors, coal masters, country houses, Douglas Park House, iron masters, mansions, Orbiston House, Tontine Building, Tontine Hotel, Tontine Society, tontines, West Indies merchants
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