[James Douglas performed in and organised various kinds of popular entertainments in aid of charity when he lived in Torquay, from 1872]

I started a Negro Minstrel Troupe calling it the Torquay Snowdrops which was a decided success but after a few years it came to grief. In the course of a year or two I tried another which I walled the White Swallows. This had a much longer run than the other & was very successful. In addition to Men I introduced about a dozen Boys, also Altos principally from the Church Choirs which rendered the Choruses especially effective. We gave Entertainments not only in Torquay but also at Paignton, Brixham, & Chudleigh, sometimes giving the proceeds to one object & sometimes to another. One night I cleared £14 for the Rowing Club who had their boats damaged by a storm. I gave the proceeds of several to the Hospital. The best we held at the Bath Saloon and at the end of the Concert dancing commenced and lasted till the early hours of the morning, all classes of Society taking part in it, but there was one which I shall never forget. I arranged it for the benefit of Mrs Lee whose husband, a Boatman, was drowned in the Bay. We cleared a little more than £30 by it. I was centre Man as usual and had just sung the song “Close the Shutters Willie’s dead” & was going to respond to the encore when a message came to me that my dear [son] Reg (who was lying ill with typhoid) was dying. I hurriedly got someone to take my place and rushed home & into the sick room where I found him very ill & delirious, but I’m thankful to say he was spared to me, tho’ his brother who was then not so ill was taken. That was a night never to be forgotten. I had no time even to remove the black from my face. I never ventured on that Song again. After a time the White Swallows came to an end but I was centre man in several troupes afterwards for the benefit of the Rowing Club, the last I think was in 1898.