Agnes Broun, Agnes Brown or Agnes Burnes (17 March 1732 – 14 January 1820), was the mother of Scotland's national poet,
Robert Burns
Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...
. Agnes's father, Gilbert (1708–1774), was the tenant of the farm of Craigenton, in
Kirkoswald parish,
South Ayrshire,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
.
Life and character
A bed and breakfast called the Whitestone Cottage, on the
Culzean estate in Ayrshire, claims to be Agnes Broun's birthplace, however she was christened at
Kirkoswald that is close to Craigenton Farm.
Agnes was aged just 10 when her mother, Agnes Rainie (1708–1742), died. As the oldest of six siblings Agnes spent the next two years looking after the family, but in 1744, after her father had found a new wife, she was sent to live in
Maybole
Maybole is a town and former burgh of barony and police burgh in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It had an estimated population of in . It is situated south of Ayr and southwest of Glasgow by the Glasgow and South Western Railway. The town is bypass ...
with Jean Rainie, her maternal grandmother. Agnes's grandmother was a repository of much oral tradition, including Scottish songs and ballads that influenced Agnes and encouraged her to pass them on to her children.
[Lindsay, Maurice The Burns Encyclopedia; 2nd Edition (London: Hutchinson, 1970)]
![Burns Cottage - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Burns_Cottage_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1093281.jpg)
Agnes's father Gilbert remarried twice, Margaret Blaine (1718–1751) and then Catherine Mott (1747–1820). Agnes reportedly had no great liking for her stepmothers, the latter of whom was several years her junior and this may explain why
Robert Burns
Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...
had little or no contact with his maternal grandfather.
[
Agnes attended a ]dame school
Dame schools were small, privately run schools for young children that emerged in the British Isles and its colonies during the early modern period. These schools were taught by a “school dame,” a local woman who would educate children f ...
held in a weaver's cottage and learned psalms
The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...
by heart, acquired basic reading skills, but did not learn to write, not even her own name.[Mackay, Page 25]
Agnes was at first engaged to William Nelson, a ploughman, with whom she worked, [ but she broke off the engagement after seven years, due reportedly to an indiscretion on Nelson's part.
It is thought that Agnes first met ]William Burnes
William Burnes or William Burness (11 November 1721 – 13 February 1784) was the father of the poet Robert Burns. He was born at either Upper Kinmonth or Clochnahill Farm, Dunnottar, Kincardineshire, and trained as a gardener at Inverugie Cast ...
, 11 years her senior, a market gardener by trade, at the Maybole
Maybole is a town and former burgh of barony and police burgh in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It had an estimated population of in . It is situated south of Ayr and southwest of Glasgow by the Glasgow and South Western Railway. The town is bypass ...
Fair in 1756. Agnes and William married on 3 December 1757 in Ayr
Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire Subdivisions of Scotland, council area and the historic Shires of Scotlan ...
, and settled at Alloway, South Ayrshire, living in a clay cottage that William had both designed and built. At this Alloway cottage they raised four of their seven children, including her eldest son, Robert Burns
Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...
, who was born on 25 January 1759. The midwife at the birth of Robert was Agnes McClure, wife of the blacksmith John Tennant, and their next-door neighbour. Gilbert was born on 28 September 1760, Agnes on 30 September 1762 and Annabella on 14 November 1764.
In 1767, about a year after moving to Mount Oliphant, Agnes gave birth to William Burnes (b. 30 July), followed by John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Secon ...
(b. 10 July 1769) and Isobel or Isobella (b. 27 July 1771). Later homes were at Lochlea, Mossgiel, Dinning and finally at Grant's Braes, Bolton, near Haddington in East Lothian where she died in 1820 aged 87.
Agnes is recorded to have had a major role in cultivating the family's five acres at Alloway's New Gardens, keeping poultry, growing vegetables and making cheeses using milk from her four or so cattle the family kept.
When Agnes's husband William Burnes
William Burnes or William Burness (11 November 1721 – 13 February 1784) was the father of the poet Robert Burns. He was born at either Upper Kinmonth or Clochnahill Farm, Dunnottar, Kincardineshire, and trained as a gardener at Inverugie Cast ...
died aged 62 in 1784 she went to live with her son Gilbert, at Mossgiel, until 1798 and then lived at Dinning in Nithsdale
Nithsdale (''Srath Nid'' in Scottish Gaelic), also known as Strathnith, Stranith or Stranit, is the strath or dale of the River Nith in southern Scotland. Nithsdale was one of the medieval provinces of Scotland. The provinces gradually lost the ...
for two years before they moved to Grant's Braes, East Lothian. Agnes died aged 87 and is buried in the churchyard in Bolton Parish Church, Bolton, East Lothian. Agnes and William had seven children, three of whom predeceased her. Of her many grandchildren, at least ten died before her, a reflection of her own old age and the much shorter life expectancies of those times.
According to Robert Burns’s youngest sister, Isabella Begg, she ''“... was rather under the average height; inclined to plumpness, but neat, shapely, and full of energy; having a beautiful pink-and-white complexion, a fine square forehead, pale red hair but dark eyebrows and dark eyes often ablaze with a temper difficult of control. Her disposition was naturally cheerful; her manner, easy and collected; her address, simple and unpresuming; and her judgement uncommonly sound and good. She possessed a fine musical ear, and sang well.”''
Mark Twain wrote of her in ''The Innocents Abroad
''The Innocents Abroad, or The New Pilgrims' Progress'' is a travel book by American author Mark Twain. Published in 1869, it humorously chronicles what Twain called his "Great Pleasure Excursion" on board the chartered vessel ''Quaker City'' ( ...
'' (Ch. XXXVI): "It reminds me of what Robert Burns’s mother said when they erected a stately monument to his memory: ''"Ah, Robbie, ye asked them for bread and they hae gi'en ye a stane."''"
Agnes's half-sister was Jean Brown (1750–1821) who, in 1775, married James Allan and lived at Old Rome Ford near Gatehead, in East Ayrshire
East Ayrshire ( sco, Aest Ayrshire; gd, Siorrachd Àir an Ear) is one of thirty-two council areas of Scotland. It shares borders with Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire. The headquar ...
. It was at Old Rome that Robert Burns briefly lodged in the summer of 1786 while avoiding a writ from James Armour in regards to his relationship with Jean Armour
Jean Armour (25 February 1765 – 26 March 1834), also known as the "Belle of Mauchline", was the wife of the poet Robert Burns. She inspired many of his poems and bore him nine children, three of whom survived into adulthood.
Biography
Born in ...
. The Allans were the parents of Burns' first cousin, Captain Alexander Allan, who founded the Allan Shipping Line in 1819.
Samuel Peacock, Burns's partner in the flax-dressing business at Irvine, is said to have been a half-brother of Agnes.
Influence upon Robert Burns
She is widely known to have entertained her young "Rabbie" with legends from local oral traditions, and folk songs. The biographer Hecht relates that ''"her sweet singing was heard as she went about the heavy work of the day, for she had a good voice and a wonderful stock of old and new ballads and songs, such as were current amongst the people. ... In the art of story-telling she had a rival in an old linswoman, Betty Davidson, who was frequently a guest in the little household at Alloway."''
Agnes is credited with having a significant influence upon Robert Burns
Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...
's love for song. A relative, Betty Davidson, was an even greater influence. These twin influences resulted in Robert Burns
Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...
writing or revising nearly 350 songs throughout his life. Most of these songs were published, without fee, in the ''"Scots Musical Museum
The ''Scots Musical Museum'' was an influential collection of traditional folk music of Scotland published from 1787 to 1803. While it was not the first collection of Scottish folk songs and music, the six volumes with 100 songs in each collected ...
"'' compiled by James Johnson James Johnson may refer to:
Artists, actors, authors, and musicians
*James Austin Johnson (born 1989), American comedian & actor, ''Saturday Night Live'' cast member
*James B. Johnson (born 1944), author of science nonfiction novels
*James P. John ...
and the ''"Select Collection of Original Scottish Airs"'' published by George Thomson.
The following somewhat bawdy song is said to have been her favourite ballad and also that of her son:
Memorials and monuments
Agnes was buried with her son Gilbert and her daughter Anabella in Bolton Parish Kirkyard within a railed enclosure. The memorial stone was erected by her son Gilbert Burns
Gilbert Alexander Pontes Burns (born 20 July 1986) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and submission grappler. He currently competes in the Welterweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As a grappler, Burns ...
in memory of his children.
The inscription on her gravestone reads:
"ERECTED By GILBERT BURNS, Factor at Grants Braes, In Memory of his Children ISABELLA, who died 3 July 1815, in the 7th year of her age, AGNES, who died 14th Septr 1815, in the 15th year of her age, JANET, who died 30th Octor 1816 in the 18th year of her age; And of his Mother, AGNES BROWN, who died 14 Janry 1820, in the 88th year of her age; whose mortal remains lie all buried here. Also of other two of his Children VIZ. JEAN, who died on the 4th of Jany 1827, in the 20th year of her age. and JOHN, who died on the 26th Feby 1827, in the 25th year of his age. GILBERT BURNS their Father died on the 8th April 1827 in the 67th year of his age. Also buried here, ANABELLA, sister of GILBERT BURNS, who died March 2."
Gilbert wrote that his mother's funeral would be delayed until he had a mortsafe constructed to protect the grave.
There is a monument to her, called 'Burns's Mother's Well', near Bolton
Bolton (, locally ) is a large town in Greater Manchester in North West England, formerly a part of Lancashire. A former mill town, Bolton has been a production centre for textiles since Flemish weavers settled in the area in the 14th ...
on the roadside from Haddington, East Lothian
The Royal Burgh of Haddington ( sco, Haidintoun, gd, Baile Adainn) is a town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is the main administrative, cultural and geographical centre for East Lothian. It lies about east of Edinburgh. The name Haddington is ...
. According to the Scottish Gazetteer Project, the inscription for the well reads: "Drink of the pure crystals and not only be ye succoured but also refreshed in the mind. Agnes Broun, 1732 - 1820. To the mortal and immortal memory and in noble tribute to her, who not only gave a son to Scotland but to the whole world and whose own doctrines he preached to humanity that we might learn."
In 1932, William Baxter FSA (Scot) restored the well and it lies some away from the site of one of the Burns's former homes.[Scottish Gazetter Project, Department of Geography, University of Edinburgh (see http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst8218.html)
]
References
;Notes
;Sources
*Hecht, Hans (1936). ''Robert Burns. The Man and His Work.'' London : William Hodge.
*Mackay, James (2004). ''Burns. A Biography of Robert Burns''. Darvel : Alloway Publishing. .
External links
Gilbert Burns, Agnes Broun Burns and family burial site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Broun, Agnes
Robert Burns
1732 births
1820 deaths
People from South Ayrshire
Burns family