Douglas was born in
Stranraer in south-west Scotland the son of William Douglas and Sophia Black, and attended school in
Whithorn. Douglas went to
Edinburgh, probably around 1837, as a printer's apprentice. He soon after joined the staff of
William Blackwood & Sons. Gaining confidence and skill he set up his own printworks. In 1847 he formed a partnership to create Edmonston and Douglas, based at 87
Princes Street, which lasted 30 years. On the death of his partner Alexander Edmonston in 1877 he formed a new company with Thomas Foulis, named Douglas & Foulis, which lasted until his death. Douglas & Foulis appear to have operated a popular
circulating library in the early 20th century, which, for a cost of one guinea per year, a member could borrow one book per month, and for ten guineas per year 30 books per month could be borrowed. Douglas was for many years Editor of the Proceedings of the
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. In 1866 he was elected a Fellow of the
Royal Society of Edinburgh his proposer being
Alexander Campbell Fraser. From 1891 to 1909 he conducted a prolonged correspondence with
William Winter in
New York City. In later life his business was at 10 Castle Street and his house at 22 Drummond Place, both in
Edinburgh. In these final years he moved from his earlier more intellectual and historical focus to the republishing of American novels in Britain as cheap editions. Douglas died of pneumonia in
Edinburgh on 4 April 1916. Following his death most ongoing work was absorbed by Thomas Noble Foulis (Foulis’ son) who had set up his own business
T. N. Foulis in 1903. The firm later evolved into Hunter & Foulis. ==Family==