James Laing (doctor)

[2] According to the Topographical Dictionary of Scotland (London, 1846), writing about Crimond, "There is an ancient seat called Haddo, and an elegant modern mansion has been built on the estate of Rattray.

"[5] In that year Laing had given evidence on plantation life in Dominica to the Privy Council, later commented on by John Ranby, James Stephen and Eric Williams.

[8][9] When a gift of £700 of plate was made to Henry Hamilton as Governor, for his efforts in repelling a French invasion of Dominica, Laing with Thomas Daniell was chosen for the formal presentation on 14 June 1796.

He was rebuffed in March 1814 by Lord Bathurst, the Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, who considered Laing fit for his duties.

[15] In 1815 Sir Robert Heron, 2nd Baronet, whose wife was a relation of the dismissed Ainslie, spoke in defence of his conduct on Dominica, and incidentally mentioned Laing's 48 years of residence on the island.

[1] A land grant was made in 1804 in the parish of St Joseph, Dominica to James Laing, John Lucas and Robert Reid.

[21][22][23] A legal agreement of 1811 shows that there was a previous owner of this estate in St Joseph parish, John Mair.

[30] The authorship was attributed by John Malcolm Bulloch to Hugh Gordon, a soldier involved in the defence of Roseau.

[31] Some years after Laing's death, compensation was paid on the Macouchorie estate (tentative identification of claim), when slavery was abolished in the British Empire.

[32][33][34] The estate was sold by the government in 1938, and it was bought in 1943 by Howell Donald Shillingford CBE, with a cane mill and rum distillery.

[38] Details of the compensation claim for the Springfield estate on Dominica show two-thirds going to Allan Stewart Laing, and one-third to Robarts & Kendall.