The Irvine Burns Club, based at the Wellwood Burns Centre & Museum, was founded on 2 June 1826 and is one of the world's longest continuously active

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...

situated on the west coast of Scotland, approx 14 miles north of

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 ...

History

The Irvine Burns Club, originally formed in the Milne's Inn (now The Crown Inn) is now based in Wellwood House (known simply as 'Wellwood'), Eglinton Street, and has an unbroken history dating back to 2 June 1826. The

club Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands and enterprises ...

had twelve founding members of whom five were known to Robert Burns, and two were once his close friends. The original minute of the meeting reads: ''"The subscribers agree hereby to form, and do now form ourselves into a Committee for the purpose of establishing a Club, or Society for Commemorating the birth of Robert Burns the Ayrshire Poet – and we agree to meet at an early day to get the preliminaries of the Club properly arranged."'' The document is signed by John Mackenzie, M.D.;

David Sillar David Sillar (1760–1830) was a Scottish farmer, poet, grocer, schoolteacher and baillie who was a close friend of the poet Robert Burns. He died in 1830, aged 70, after a long illness, and was buried in Irvine's Old Parish Church cemetery. Hi ...

, Bailie; William Gillies, Grain Dealer; John Peebles, Convener of Trades; James Johnston, Town Clerk; Robert Wyllie, Harbour Master; John Orr, Merchant; James Allan, Merchant (grocer); Maxwell Dick, Bookseller; William Shields, Senior, Merchant; John Fletcher, Surgeon; and Patrick Blair, Writer. Dr John Mackenzie, was the first club president. He had been a doctor in Mauchline, attended Burns' dying father at Lochlea in 1784 and married one of the "Mauchline Belles" before moving to Irvine in the capacity of personal physician to the Earl of Eglinton and his family. David Sillar, the first Vice-president, had been a friend of Burns since his teenage years, was a member of the Tarbolton Bachelors Club, became a grocer, and finally an Irvine Council Bailie.Irvine Burns Club
/ref> In 1925 Provost Hogg arranged for the donation to the club of the councillor's chairs used by John Mackenzie and David Sillar in celebration of the club's centenary. On 15 August 1844

William Nicol Burns William Nicol Burns (1791–1872) was the sixth child, third born and second surviving son born to the poet Robert Burns when he was 32 and his wife Jean Armour was 26. William was born at Ellisland Farm in Dunscore parish, shortly before the ...

and his brother James Glencairn Burns were entertained in the Kings Arms Hotel, High Street, Irvine by the Irvine Burns Club. The club meets monthly at its own premises, Wellwood House, and has a structure of a President and Vice-President, other office holders, Directors, and members. The year is centred on events such as the 'Annual Celebration' and the 'Wreath Laying' at the Irvine Moor Burns Statue during January, the Directors' Dinner in March, Founders Day in June, etc. The club is an active contributor to the community with regular opening times for visitors, Burns competitions, various events, visits by school pupils, musical entertainments, working co-operatively with other Burns clubs, etc.

Wellwood House

Alexander Paterson had been a partner in Hunter's Bank; after its incorporation into the Union Bank, he and his son John continued as agents with them. Both served on the Irvine council, John from 1854, serving as Provost in 1873–78. John bought the previous house on this site in 1869 and in 1898, after his death, the house passed to his widow, Mrs Catherine Gillies Paterson, who, in 1904, acquired the adjoining property and built the present house. "Wellwood" passed to her daughter Annie, and then in 1934, to Annie's two surviving brothers, J Graham and Robert Paterson, who bequeathed it to Irvine Burns Club in 1955, subject to a life rent in favour of their housekeeper Miss McLean. Irvine Burns Club used the ground floor from 1963, and became the sole occupant in 1976. The building now houses a museum, with a Burns Room bearing unique murals, a large library, and a Concert Room. Wellwood has regular opening hours and free admission.Wellwood Irvine Burns Club
/ref>

Burns artefacts

The Irvine Burns Club is one of the oldest continually existing Burns Clubs in the World and has an excellent collection of Burns artefacts, including the Kilmarnock Edition and Edinburgh editions of ''"Poems chiefly in the Scottish dialect"'', by Robert Burns.

Manuscripts

The club has six of the original manuscripts which Burns sent to John Wilson, printer, Kilmarnock, for his famous Kilmarnock Edition, published on 31 July 1786, namely – ''The Twa Dogs'', ''The Holy Fair'', ''The Author's Earnest Cry and Prayer'', ''The Address to the Deil'', ''Scotch Drink'' and ''The Cottar's Saturday Night''. These manuscripts were originally in the possession of Burns' friend Gavin Hamilton, a lawyer in Mauchline and the poet's landlord at Mossgiel Farm. They passed to a relative Hamilton Robinson, originally an apprentice in Hamilton's office, and his widow married Mr Alexander Campbell, the Burgher Kirk Minister (1809–1843) in Irvine. In 1837 Mr Campbell gave the manuscripts to Mr Patrick Blair a founder member of the club, for the Club. These poems are written on 17 folio sheets, seemingly the only surviving manuscripts of the Kilmarnock Edition. They have been inlaid in Dutch handmade paper, and secured between sheets of glass; each of the six volumes are bound in Levant Morocco leather. In 1888 they were selected for the Scottish Literature display at the Glasgow International Exhibition.

Sketch

Rosslyn Castle, access bridge, Roslin, Midlothian

The club owns one of two sketches, the other being in the National Galleries, made of Robert Burns in 1786 by

Alexander Nasmyth Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

when he visited

Roslin Castle Roslin Castle (sometimes spelt Rosslyn) is a partially ruined castle near the village of Roslin in Midlothian, Scotland. It is located around 9 miles south of Edinburgh, on the north bank of the North Esk, only a few hundred metres from the fa ...

with the poet to enjoy the spectacle of the sunrise. This particular sketch was later used as the inspiration for a small full-length portrait in oils which Robert Chambers commissioned in 1827 and which was then engraved in 1837 for the ''Life of Burns'' by Lockhart. Nasmyth is said to have conceived of the pose used during the visit when burns was admiring the castle. Despite the diminutive size, this portrait is credited as the inspiration for many statues of the Robert Burns statues throughout the world.

Letters

The Club possesses two original letters from Robert Burns to his friend David Sillar, written from Ellisland Farm, Dumfriesshire, dated 5 August 1789, and 22 January 1790. The letters deal with Burns obtaining eleven subscribers for Sillar's own book of poems published in 1789. The club purchased these artefacts in 1975 from the Rev. David Sillar, Wetherby, Yorkshire, a great-great-grandson of Sillar.

Dr Fleeming's Day-Book

In 1956, 175 years after Burns was in Irvine, this unique artefact was found by Mr Charles Balcombe, a club member, in the attic of 49 Kirkgate, the former home of Dr Charles Fleeming.Mackay, Page 99 The entries for November 1781 include details of his treatment of Robert Burns, recorded as a ''"lint dresser, Irvine"'', showing that Surgeon Charles Fleeming (Fleming) had visited the Poet on five occasions in a period of eight days. The only surviving letter between Burns and his father relates to this episode and the depressed tone of its contents resulted in his father William travelling from Lochlie Farm, Tarbolton, to visit him.

The Templeton Chair

In 2016 the chair that Robert Burns used whilst visiting Templeton's bookshop in Irvine was donated to the club by the Gilroy family. Mrs Gilroy's in 1930 stated that Burns' chair was carefully kept by Mrs McGavin (Templeton's daughter) and upon her death in 1881 Templeton's niece took charge of it. In 1909 Templeton's great-niece emigrated to Australia and took the chair with her as a precious family possession, saying that "''the chair that Burns always used to sit in and, as Mrs McGavin used to tell my mother, many a good laugh and joke he had in it.''"

The Irvine Burns Club library

The library at Wellwood House is composed of some 2,000 books donated and purchased over many years, divided into: Burns Works and Criticism; Burnsiana; General Literature and Poetry; Scottish History; Ayrshire History; All the works of John Galt (native of Irvine, 1779–1839); The works of James Montgomery (1771–1854) another native of Irvine who was known as a Christian poet; The works of Edgar Allan Poe, who spent some time at school in Irvine; Records of the local newspaper 'The Irvine Herald' from 1870; The five-volume set "Original Scottish Airs" (songs collected by George Thomson, FAS, Edinburgh) (New Edition 1826), donated to the Museum by Mrs W F Shankland of Kirkcudbright in 1987. The library holds a copy of Robert Burns Begg's (1891) "Memoir of Isobel Burns" that was privately printed for family members only. This rare edition was signed by the author, Robert Burns's nephew, and donated in memory of Sam Gaw, past president of the club and of the Robert Burns World Federation.

Honorary membership

Irvine Burns Club - President's Chain - medallion (2)

Shortly after the Irvine Burns Club was founded in 1826, it was decided that prominent individuals, national and international, should be recognised by inviting them to become Honorary Members, with a proviso that each should write their letter of acceptance in their own hand. Local man, John Galt – the novelist & Canadian pioneer together with James Montgomery, – the "Christian Poet", to be honorary members. Both accepted the invitation by letter and thus began the tradition. Over the last 174 years over 250 letters have been collected, including James Glencairn Burns, the son of Robert, together with individuals represented in almost every field of human endeavour. The tradition has continued to the present day, including acceptance letters from

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...

, sporting legends such as

Roger Bannister Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister (23 March 1929 – 3 March 2018) was an English neurologist and middle-distance athlete who ran the first sub-4-minute mile. At the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Bannister set a British record in the 1500 metres and ...

Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus (born January 21, 1940), nicknamed The Golden Bear, is a retired American professional golfer and List of golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, golf course designer. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest go ...

, and

Bobby Lennox Robert Lennox, MBE (born 30 August 1943, in Saltcoats, Ayrshire) is a Scottish former professional footballer who played for Celtic and was a member of their 1967 European Cup-winning team, known as the Lisbon Lions. He earned ten internation ...

, and many prominent Scots from different walks of life including JM Barrie,

Sir Alexander Fleming Sir Alexander Fleming (6 August 1881 – 11 March 1955) was a Scottish physician and microbiologist, best known for discovering the world's first broadly effective antibiotic substance, which he named penicillin. His discovery in 1928 of what ...

Jackie Stewart Sir John Young Stewart (born 11 June 1939), known as Jackie Stewart, is a British former Formula One racing driver from Scotland. Nicknamed the "Flying Scot", he competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Cha ...

, Jimmy Shand,

Winnie Ewing Winifred Margaret Ewing (' Woodburn; born 10 July 1929) is a Scottish politician, lawyer and figure within the independence movement who served as President of the Scottish National Party from 1987 to 2005. Ewing was a Member of the Scottish ...

, each of the Scottish Parliament's four first ministers, and "19th Century literary giants such as Dickens, Tennyson, Browning, Thackeray, Longfellow, and Shaw, political figures from that era include Disraeli, Garibaldi, and Balfour. Burns scholar

John DeLancey Ferguson John DeLancey Ferguson (November 13, 1888 – August 13, 1966) was a writer and academic. Early life Ferguson was born at Scottsville, New York in 1888. Academic career Ferguson attended Rutgers University, where he achieved a Bachelor of Arts d ...

accepted an honorary membership in 1962.

The Loving Cups

A central part of the annual Burns supper involves the ceremonial use of two loving cups, the first of which was presented by Sheffield Citizens in 1869 as a token of esteem and friendship to mark the purchase by the directors of the birthplace of James Montgomery, ''"The Christian Poet"''. He was a renowned newspaper editor, hymn writer, poet, journalist and lecturer. The second loving cup was given by David Sillar to his grandson William Cameron Sillar and was presented to the Irvine Burns Club by Mr. F. C. Sillar on 24 January 1964.

Burns research

The Irvine Burns Club encourages, promotes and facilitates research into

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 ...

, his family and topics related to his life, poetry, and songs.

MacMillan's Publishing

Alexander MacMillan (1818–1896) was born in Irvine. He was close to Burns in social class as his father Duncan Macmillan was an Ayrshire

smallholder A smallholding or smallholder is a small farm operating under a small-scale agriculture model. Definitions vary widely for what constitutes a smallholder or small-scale farm, including factors such as size, food production technique or technology ...

with a few cattle, who also worked as a carter, carrying coal from the pits to Irvine harbour. In 1845 the Macmillan brothers opened a bookshop and publishing firm in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

, before Alexander moved what was by then, after the death of his brother, his publishing firm to London in the 1860s. His library contained an extensive collection of early Burns editions, mostly bound to match his first edition volume of the 'First Edition'.

Essays on the Life and Times of Robert Burns from the Irvine Burns Club

Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect (Edinburgh Edition) ''Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect (Edinburgh Edition)'' is commonly known as the first Edinburgh Edition and the partial second setting has become known as the Stinking Edition. It is a collection of poetry and songs by Robert Burns, fir ...

* Robert Burns and the Eglinton Estate *

Robert Burns World Federation The Robert Burns World Federation is a literary society based in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland, aimed at educating the public about the life, poetry and works of the poet Robert Burns.

Burns Club Atlanta The Burns Club of Atlanta, officially organized in 1896, is a Gentlemen's club, private social club and literary and cultural society commemorating the works and spirit of the 18th century national poet of Scotland, Robert Burns. In addition to h ...

Bachelors' Club, Tarbolton The Bachelors' Club is a National Trust for Scotland museum located at 1 Sandgate Street, Tarbolton, KA5 5RB. The upstairs room was the largest in Tarbolton and was used for a number of social events. It was probably the first rural debating soc ...

Robert Aiken Robert Aiken was one of Robert Burns's closest friends and greatest admirers. He was born in 1739 in Ayr, Scotland. His father John Aiken, was a sea captain who owned his own ships and his mother was Sarah Dalrymple, distantly related to the Dal ...

Robert Ainslie (lawyer) Robert Ainslie (1766–1838) was a Scottish lawyer, and one of Robert Burns's long-term friends from his Edinburgh days. He was probably the closest confidant of Burns, whom he met first at a Masonic or Crochallan Fencibles event. Ainslie accompa ...

Wilhelmina Alexander Wilhelmina Alexander (1756–1843), was born at Newton House, Elderslie, Renfrewshire. She was the 4th daughter of Claud Alexander of Newton and Joanna, daughter of Alexander Cuninghame of Craigends. Her lasting fame derives from being Robert B ...

* Adam Armour * James Armour (Master mason) *

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 ...

Lesley Baillie Lesley Baillie (1768–1843), later Mrs Lesley Cumming, was born at Mayville, Stevenston, Ayrshire. She was a daughter of Robert Baillie and married Robert Cumming of Logie, Moray. Her lasting fame derives from being Robert Burns's 'Bonnie Lesle ...

Alison Begbie Alison Begbie, Ellison Begbie or Elizabeth Gebbie (1762–1823), is said to have been the daughter of a farmer, born in the parish of Galston, and at the time of her courtship by Robert Burns she is thought to have been a servant or housekeeper ...

or Elizabeth Gebbie *

Nelly Blair Nelly Blair, later Nelly Smith (17591820) is sometimes suggested as being Scottish poet Robert Burns' first love. The true identity of Nell Burns himself did not identify his 'Handsome Nell' by name. Nelly Kilpatrick has been suggested as being ...

* Agnes Broun * Richard Brown (Captain) *

Burns Clubs Burns Clubs exist throughout the world to encourage and cherish the memory of Robert Burns, to foster a love of his writings and generally to encourage an interest in the Scots Language and Literature.Agnes Burns Agnes Burns or Agnes Galt was the eldest sister of Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns. She was born in 1762 at the Alloway Cottage in South Ayrshire to William Burnes and Agnes Broun. She did not adopt the spelling 'Burnes'. At the advanc ...

(sister) *

Elizabeth 'Betty' Burns Elizabeth Burns, Elizabeth Park or Mrs John ThomsonBurns Encyclopedia
Retrieved : ...

(daughter) *

Gilbert Burns (Farmer) Gilbert Burns (1760 – 1827), the younger brother of Robert Burns the poet, was born at Alloway. He married Jean Breckenridge in 1791, had 6 sons and 5 daughters, died in 1827, aged 66, and was buried at Bolton, East Lothian, Scotland. Gi ...

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 Re ...

(sister) *

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 ...

May Cameron May Cameron also known as Margaret, Peggy, or Meg Cameron,Burns Encyclopedia
Ret ...

Mary Campbell (Highland Mary) Mary Campbell, also known as Highland MaryBurns Encyclopedia
Retriev ...

* Margaret Chalmers (Mrs Lewis Hay) *

Jenny Clow Janet, Jennie or Jenny Clow was a domestic servant to Mrs Agnes Maclehose, née Craig (1759-1841), the Clarinda to Robert Burns' Sylvander.Coila (muse) Coila was the muse of Robert Burns who created her as a poetic device for his poem ''The Vision'' in which she provides inspiration and encouragement. The University of the West of Scotland have erected a statue to Coila in recognition of her ro ...

Drukken Steps The Drukken, Drucken Steps or Drunken Steps were stepping stones across the Red Burn in Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland and are associated with Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. Drukken is used on the commemorative cairn plaque,Strawhorn, ...

Ellisland Farm, Dumfries 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 and ...

Fog House Fog Houses are a special type of pleasure or summer house popular in Scotland and at one time commonly found on many country estates as a feature in the pleasure gardens.Walker, Page 64 The name 'Fog' derives from the Scots word for the moss th ...

Friar's Carse Friars' Carse is a mansion house and estate situated (NX 926 850) southeast of Auldgirth on the main road (A76) to Dumfries, Parish of Dunscore, Scotland. The property is located on the west bank of the River Nith and is known for its strong a ...

* Alexander Findlater * Jean Gardner * The Geddes Burns *

Jean Glover Jean Glover or Jennifer Glover (1758–1801) was a Scottish poet and singer. She was the daughter of James Glover, handloom weaver and Jean Thomson, born in Townhead, Kilmarnock; was well educated for the time she lived in, clever and sharp-wi ...

John Goldie (philosopher) John Goldie, Goudie or Gowdie (1717–1811) the 'Philosopher' was a friend of the poet Robert Burns who was born the son of a miller at Craigmill on the River Irvine, Cessnock Water in East Ayrshire, Scotland. He was a miller, mechanic, cabinet ...

* Robert Graham of Fintry *

Gavin Hamilton (lawyer) Gavin Hamilton was one of Robert Burns's closest friends and a patron. The first ' Kilmarnock Edition' of his poems were dedicated to Gavin Hamilton. Life and character He was born in 1751 in Mauchline, Scotland. His father, John Hamilton of Ky ...

* The Hermitage (Friars Carse) *

Helen Hyslop Helen Hyslop, also Nelly or Ellen Hyslop was a 'noted local beauty' in Moffat and a strong local tradition maintains that Robert Burns was for some time a great admirer of her and that she had an affair with him. A daughter, also Helen, is said t ...

Irvine Harbour The harbours serving Irvine at Seagatefoot and Fullarton in North Ayrshire have had a long and complex history. Irvine's harbour was one of the most important ports in Scotland in the 16th century. Across from the main harbour at Fullarton on th ...

* Joan Kelly (poet) *

Kate Kemp Kate Kemp of Barskimming lived with her father at the Bridge House on the northern side of the single span Barskimming Old Bridge (Barskimming Auld Brig), River Ayr, Scotland. Both Robert Burns and James Andrew, the miller at Barskimming Mill, ...

* Nelly Kilpatrick *

Jessie Lewars Jessie Lewars also known as Mrs. James Thomson,Westwood, Page 1 was the youngest daughter of John Lewars, a supervisor of excise. Following the death of her 69-year-old father in 1789, Jessie was only 11 years old, when she and her brother John ...

* John MacKenzie (Doctor) *

Agnes Maclehose Agnes Maclehose (26 April 1758 – 23 October 1841Scotland's People, Death record of Agnes Craig or McIhose (OPR Deaths 685/03 0340 0368 CANONGATE)), or Agnes Craig, known to her friends as 'Nancy'

* James McKie (publisher) *

Mary Morison Mary Morison or Mary Morrison (1771 – 29 June 1791),Burns Encyclopedia
Re ...

John Murdoch (teacher) John Murdoch of Ayr was Robert Burns's most significant teacher or tutor and he was a friend of the Burnes family. He was born in 1747 and first taught Gilbert Burns (farmer), Gilbert and Robert Burns in Alloway when he was only aged eighteen. H ...

* Robert Muir of Loanfoot *

Ann Park Helen Anne Park,Burns Encyclopedia
Retrieved : 27 February 2012 known as An ...

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 ...

Anne Rankine Anne Rankine was the youngest daughter of a tenant farmer, John Rankine from Adamhill Farm that lay two miles from the Robert Burns's family farm at Lochlea. She married John Merry, an inn-keeper in Cumnock on 29 December 1782,Mackay, Page 72 an ...

* John Richmond (lawyer) *

Poems by David Sillar ''Poems'' is a collection of poetry and songs by David Sillar, a close friend of the poet Robert Burns who had been encouraged to go into print by the success of ''Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect''. ''Poems'' was printed by John Wilson o ...

James Smith (draper) James Smith of Mauchline was one of Robert Burns's closest friends and confidants. He was born in 1765, son of a Mauchline merchant, Ayrshire, Scotland. In 1775, when he was only ten years, old his father, Robert Smith, a prosperous local mercha ...

Isabella Steven Isabella Steven or Tibbie Stein was the daughter of a tenant farmer from Littlehill or Little Hill Farm (NS467305) that adjoined the Burns's farm at Lochlea.Boyle, Page 86 'Stein' is an alternative form of the surname 'Steven'. Littlehill had th ...

John Syme (lawyer) John Syme (1755 – 24 November 1831) was a Scottish lawyer and one of the poet Robert Burns's closest friends during his time in Dumfries. In the summers of 1793 and 1794 he joined Burns on his two short tours of Galloway. Syme and Alexander C ...

Alexander Tait (poet) Alexander Tait, Sawney Tait or Saunders TaitMcKay (2004), Page 81 (14 August 1720 - circa 1800)Paterson (1840), Page 157 was a tailor, a published poet and also a contemporary of Robert Burns who he knew well. Tait was also well acquainted with ...

Peggy Thompson Margaret "Peggy" Thompson, later Margaret Neilson, was the housekeeper at Coilsfield House or Montgomery Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland. She married John Neilsen of Monyfee. The couple lived at Minnybae Farm near Kirkoswald. She was the 'charming ...

References

Notes

Sources

* Mackay, James (2004). ''Burns. A Biography of Robert Burns.'' Darvel : Alloway Publishing. . * ''Scottish National Memorials'' (1890). Glasgow : James MacLehose and Sons.

External links

Researching the Life and Times of Robert Burns
- Researcher's site.
YouTube video of the Robert Burns Mural at Ardeer

YouTube video of Robert Burns Stay in Irvine 1781-1782

YouTube The Robert Burns and Highland Mary memorial at Failford

YouTube video of the Drucken Steps and Robert Burns

YouTube video of the Clement Wilson Room

YouTube video of the Irvine Burns Club Library

YouTube video of the Irvine Burns Club

Irvine Burns Club Facebook Page

A film recording of the 145th Irvine Burns Club Supper

Irvine Scotland Website
{{Robert Burns, state=expanded Robert Burns Clubs and societies in Scotland 1826 establishments in Scotland Organizations established in 1826 Literary societies Irvine, North Ayrshire