Annabella Burns or Nannie Burns (1764–1832) was the second oldest sister of the 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 ...

, and the last child born to

William Burness 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 ...

and

Agnes Broun Agnes Broun, Agnes Brown or Agnes Burnes (17 March 1732 – 14 January 1820), was the mother of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. Agnes's father, Gilbert (1708–1774), was the tenant of the farm of Craigenton, in Kirkoswald parish, Sou ...

whilst at the Alloway cottage. She was born on the 14 November 1764 and she was christened on 17 November by Rev. William Dalrymple, the minister of Ayr Parish Church. When she died in 1832 she was the last member of Gilbert Burns's household at Grant's Brae to be buried at the Bolton Kirk family lair. Gilbert Burns had died, also aged 67, five years earlier in 1832.

Life and background

Her father, William Burnes, was 43 when Annabella was born and her mother, Agnes Brown, was 32. Her siblings were

(b. 25 January 1759);

Gilbert Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters * Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South ...

(b. 28 September 1760); Agnes (b. 30 September 1762);

William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

(b. 30 July 1767);

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 * Second ...

(b. 10 July 1769);

Isabella Isabella may refer to: People and fictional characters * Isabella (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Isabella (surname), including a list of people Places United States * Isabella, Alabama, an unincorpora ...

(b. 27 July 1771). Whilst at Mossgiel Farm Agnes Burnes slept in a recess bed in the kitchen whilst sisters Annabella and Agnes slept in fixed beds along the back wall in the larger adjoining room.Mackay (1988), Page 141

Isabella Burns Isabella Burns (Isabella Begg) (1771–1858) or Isobel Burns (Isobel Begg) was the youngest sister of the poet Robert Burns, born to William Burness and Agnes Broun at Mount Oliphant Farm on the 27 June 1771 and christened on 2 July 1771 by R ...

remembered her sister Annabella taking her to dance with Matthew Paterson at Tarbolton's Bacherlors' Club after his intended partner failed to turn up. Annabella never married and she and her mother lived with Gilbert Burns and his family. Gilbert left Mossgiel Farm in 1798 and then farmed at Dinning in Nithsdale for two years.Mackay (1988), Page 37 Gilbert and the extended family left Dinning before the lease was up as he was appointed by the son of

Frances Dunlop Frances Anne Wallace Dunlop (16 April 1730 – 24 May 1815) was a Scottish heiress, landowner, and correspondent and friend of poet Robert Burns. Life Frances was born on 16 April 1730. She descended from a brother of William Wallace, the Scotti ...

, Captain John Dunlop, as estate manager at Morham West Mains,

East Lothian East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921. In 1975, the histo ...

for four years. John Begg, husband of

, took up the lease on Dinning. After a few years at Morham West Mains Annabella moved to Grant's Brae on the road to Bolton and spent the remainder of her days there, Gilbert being the factor of the Lennoxlove estates owned by Lady Katherine Blantyre.The Burns Encyclopedia
Retrieved : 2021-11-07 She was, as stated, buried with her mother, Gilbert and a number of his children at Bolton Kirk, Bolton Parish, south of Haddington.Westwood (2008), Page 12 The text on the family tombstone reads - ''"Erected by GILBERT BURNS, factor at Grants Brae in memory of his children ISABELLA who died 3 July 1815 in the 7th year of her age, AGNES who died 11th Sept 1815 in the 15th year of her age, JANET who died 30 Octr 1816 in the 18th year of her age. And of his mother, AGNES BROWN who died 14 Jany 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 4 Jany 1827 in the 20th year of her age and JOHN who died on the 26 Feby 1827 in the 25th year of his age. GILBERT BURNS father died on the 8 April 1827 in the 67th year of his age. Also buried here, ANNABELLA, sister of Gilbert Burns, who died March 2, 1832 aged 67."''

Association with Robert Burns

Annabella was Robert Burns's second oldest sister, Agnes being the oldest and Isabella the youngest. Annabella and her siblings religious education was partly taught at home by their father, using the

A Manual of Religious Belief The surviving manuscript of the instructional work ''A Manual of Religious Belief'' is written in the form of a theological dialogue between father and child written out in holograph by John Murdoch for William Burnes, Robert Burns's father. ...

that

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 ...

had written for that purpose, assisted by John Murdoch. Annabella's niece Isabella wrote to Dr Chambers and informed him that it was her Uncle Gilbert and his sisters, therefore including Annabella, who were set against Robert marrying

Elizabeth Paton Elizabeth "Betsey" Paton or later Elizabeth Andrew of Lairgieside (1760 – c. 1799) was the daughter of James Paton and Eleanor Helen Paton of Aird Farm, Crossroads, Ayrshire. Following an affair with Robert Burns she gave birth on 22 May 1785 ...

. Whilst at Mount Oliphant or Lochlea Farm Robert wrote a story, ''

The Marriage of Robin Redbreast and the Wren The recorded source of the children's story The Marriage of Robin Redbreast and the Wren is Isabella Burns, later Mrs Isabella Burns Begg, the youngest sister of Robert Burns. Isabella recalled that her brother, Robert Burns, was the author an ...

'', for his young siblings. Annabella's younger sister Isabella remembered this story and told it to Dr Chambers in 1850/51. The story was published in Chamber's ''Nursery Rhymes of Scotland.'' In August 1788 Annabella and

were present at the birth of Burns's second son, Francis Wallace, at

Ellisland Farm Ellisland Farm lies about 6.5 mi/10.4 km northwest of Dumfries near the village of Auldgirth, located in the Parish of Dunscore, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The complex is a museum in the farm Robert Burns built, lived in a ...

on 18 August 1788. Her brother Robert referred to Annabella as 'Nannie' or 'Nanny' in his letters. On 25 March 1789 he wrote to his brother William saying that "''Your sister Nannie arrived here yester night, and begs to be remembered to you.''" On 15 April 1789 he wrote that "''The inclosed is from Gilbert brought by your sister Nanny.''" She visited her brother Robert in March 1789 whilst he was at the Isle, a small country house in Nithsdale, owned by David Newall, a Dumfries lawyer.McQueen (1999), p.126

was not yet habitable at this date.

References

;Notes ;Sources and further reading # Begg, Robert Burns (1891). ''Memoir of Isobel Burns''. Privately printed. # Boyle, A. M. (1996), ''The Ayrshire Book of Burns-Lore''. Darvel : Alloway Publishing. . # Douglas, William Scott (1938). ''The Kilmarnock Edition of the Poetical Works of Robert Burns.'' Glasgow : Scottish Daily Express. # Hogg, Patrick Scott (2008). ''Robert Burns. The Patriot Bard''. Edinburgh : Mainstream Publishing. . # Hosie, Bronwen (2010). ''Robert Burns. Bard of Scotland.'' Glendaruel : Argyll Publishing. . # Mackay, James. ''A Biography of Robert Burns''. Edinburgh : Mainstream Publishing. . # Mckie, James (1875) ''A Manual of Religious Belief with Biographical Preface.'' Kilmarnock : McKie & Drennan. # McQueen, Colin Hunter (1999). ''Rantin Rovin Robin.'' Irvine : Irvine Burns Club & Ayrshire Association. # McQueen, Colin Hunter & Hunter, Douglas (2008). ''Hunter's Illustrated History of the Family, Friends and Contemporaries of Robert Burns.'' Published by Messrs Hunter Queen and Hunter. # Purdie, David; McCue Kirsteen and Carruthers, Gerrard. (2013). ''Maurice Lindsay's The Burns Encyclopaedia''. London : Robert Hale. . # Westwood, Peter J. (1997). ''Genealogical Charts of the Family of Robert Burns.'' Kilmarnock : The Burns Federation. # Westwood, Peter J. (2004). ''The Definitive Illustrated Companion to Robert Burns.'' Scottish Museums Council. # Westwood, Peter J. (Editor). (2008). ''Who's Who in the World of Robert Burns''. Robert Burns World Federation.

External links

Video footage of the Gilbert Burns and family burial site at Bolton Kirk.

Video footage of Grant's Brae and Agnes Broun Burns's Well {{DEFAULTSORT:Burns, Annabella Robert Burns 1764 births 1832 deaths

Annabella Annabella, Anabella, or Anabela is a feminine given name. Notable people with the name include: *Annabella of Scotland (c. 1433–1509), daughter of King James I *Annabella (actress) (1907–1996), stage name of French actress Suzanne Georgette C ...

Life and background

Association with Robert Burns

See also

References

External links