Sir George Henry Scott Douglas was the son of the 3rd Bart, Sir John James Douglas, of Springwood Park, by the only daughter and heir of Henry Scott, Esq, of Belford, Roxburghshire (she subsequently married William Scott Kerr, Esq., of Chatto, and died in 1850).
Following family tradition, Sir George Henry Scott Douglas, (4th Baronet) joined the army and rose to a Captaincy in the 34th Regiment of Foot which later became the Border Regiment. He kept a diary throughout his army career which illuminates regimental life and paints a vivid picture of his many sailing exploits in his cutter Vampire and his yacht Ariel.
He returned to Kelso in 1853 and embarked on an extensive building programme at Springwood Park, Kelso, much of which stands to this day.
In1874 he successfully stood against the Marquis of Bowmont to become Member of Parliament.
He died in 1885.
His first son James, known to the family as Jamie, joined the Royal Scots Fusiliers and was killed at Kwamagwasa during the Zulu wars so it was his second son, Sir George Brisbane Douglas (he dropped Scott from the family name) who became the fifth baronet.