Artist. Born in Edinburgh and educated at the Royal High School there, Douglas gained his middle name from his great-great-uncle Sir William Fettes, the founder of Fettes College. He began his career working for the Commercial Bank of Scotland, but was a talented amateur artist. He trained at the Trustees' Academy under Sir William Allan (1782 - 1850) and became a full-time painter from 1847. He painted portraits, including those of fellow artists Alexander Fraser (1828-99), Erskine Nicol (1825 -1904) and Thomas Faed (1826 - 1900). His more important works include The Alchemist (1855) in the Victoria and Albert Museum (London), Hudibras and Ralph visiting the Astrologer (1856) and A Street in Rome in the National Gallery of Scotland, The Rosicrucian (1856) held by Glasgow Museums, A Scene from 'The Antiquary' (the novel by Sir Walter Scott) in the McManus Galleries in Dundee and Reading to the Deaf Man in the John Muir House in Dunbar.