Robert Burnes

Robert Burnes

Obelisk commemorating Robert and John Burnes at Stewarton
Born 1719
Clochnahill Farm, Kincardineshire, Scotland
Died 3 January 1789
Stewarton, Scotland
Occupation Quarryman, Gardener, Land Steward and Teacher[1]

Robert Burnes or Robert Burness (1719-1789) was an uncle of the poet Robert Burns on his father's side, who left the family farm of Clochnahill or Clokenhill in Kincardineshire with his younger brother William Burnes. He found work at the Lochridge or Lochrig limestone quarries and lime kilns that lay near Byrehill Farm near Stewarton.[2][3] He may have been a gardener[4] later a teacher and probably a land steward on the nearby Robertland Estate.[1][3][5] Robert Burns referred to his relation as Poor Uncle Robert.[3]

Life and background

Titwood Farm.

Robert is said to have gone to England or Southern Scotland at first, working for some time as a gardener,[3] having supposedly parted from his brother on the summit of Garvock Tap.[3] He then lived for several years, arriving around 1748,[6] in a cot house at Titwood Farm in Dreghorn Parish,[1] where he worked in the summer months[1] as a quarryman and possibly being apprenticed at some point as a stonemason.[3] His brother William recorded in a letter dated 1781 that his brother lived in Stewarton and that the circumstances were "rather indifferent".[7]

Robert had severe rheumatism or arthritis[8] that prevented him from doing hard physical work in the cold winter months and to maintain himself and his family he opened a school in his home for the sons of local farmers.[1] When his condition became too painful and debilitating he moved to a house or to the Buck's Head Inn located at the Buck's Head Close just off the main street in Stewarton and later he moved to another house in the town, the location of which has been forgotten,[8] however Caldhame Farm on the Robertland Estate was the home of a Robert Burnes, land steward and this may have been Burns' 'Uncle Robert'.[9]

The Caldhame Letters

Sir James Hunter Blair of Blairquhan uncovered six letters in his family's archive written between 1776 and 1779 by a Robert Burnes to the first baronet from Caldhame near Stewarton; a seventh letter was discovered recently by the Blairquhan Castle archivist.[10] This individual was a land steward at the Robertland estate.[3] William Logan, the Robertland Estate Factor living at Kilmaurs House or Place had employed a Robert Burnes and wrote a series of letters from May 1774 to 1784 to his employer that sometimes refer to Robert Burnes.[11]

This Robert had knowledge of liming crops, caring for cattle, and drainage work. Deputising for the absentee Factor he collected rents and wrote to the laird.[11] The chances of two adults with the same name, approximate age, knowledge of liming, both married, well educated, etc. and living in the same area seems very unlikely.[11] The only other 'Burns' family in the district consistently used the spelling without the 'e'.[3] A comparison of the handwriting of the author of the 'Caldhame Letters' and the only known letter written by Robert Burnes would probably settle the issue of the identity of the land steward, however only the text has survived in public hands and the letter's whereabouts is at present unknown.[10] Some similarities in misspelling are apparent, however the application of punctuation seems to differ.[10]

It is probable therefore that Robert became the Robertland Estate land steward as related by the 'Caldhame Letters',[9] working[5][12][13] under the Factor, William Logan of Kilmaurs House, later Thornton House.[9]

Death

The old front door of the Buck's Head Tavern bearing the inscription 'Over Fork Over', Stewarton's motto at one time and that of the Cunninghame family.

Robert was popular and much respected in the area.[14] He is buried in Stewarton Laigh Kirk cemetery[15] where in 1910 the Stewarton Literary Society erected a memorial obelisk made of Ballochmyle red sandstone to him and to his eldest son John who had died on 17 February 1846 and is buried next to him.[8] On the day of the unveiling the Stewarton Burgh Band marched through the streets and Andrew Kerr, President of the Stewarton Literary Society hosted the proceedings. The whole project had originally begun following a talk delivered by Duncan McNaught of Kilmaurs and the honour was given to him to unveil the memorial.[16]

Family

Robert and his wife Helen (d. 13 August 1803)[17] had three children of whom John (d. 20 February 1846) was the oldest son, followed by William and a daughter Fanny (Frances).[17] William was intended to become a mason, working with James Armour (Burns' father-in-law)[1] and Fanny married at Mauchline on 5 June 1792.[18] Fanny's husband was Adam Armour, a builder, brother of Jean Armour, thereby Fanny became Jean's sister-in-law as well as her niece.[1] Adam Armour was immortalised in the poem "Adam Armour's Prayer" and the couple had five sons and four daughters.[8] William never married and lived to an advanced age, dying in 1850. He had worked as a builder.[19]

John Burnes

John Burnes, is known to have helped guard the Stewarton Laigh Church graveyard against the activities of body snatchers or resurrectionists,[20] although it is not known if this was as a volunteer or in paid capacity.[9] For the last sixteen years or so of his life he lived at the house of James Colquhoun in Stewarton.[21] John may have worked as a farmer or a weaver and in his final years was a recipient of poor relief from the Stewarton parish.[19]

Association with Robert Burns

Lochridge old limestone quarry site.
Buck's Head Close, Stewarton.

Robert Burns used to visit his uncle in Stewarton at the Buck's Head Inn,[22] one of the oldest buildings in the town, as he was sometimes in the area on his journeys to visit Frances Dunlop at Dunlop House nearby;[8] he also visited nearby Robertland House.[23] He is also said to have stayed at the inn.[22]

When Robert Burnes died his nephew did what he could to help John, William and Fanny Burnes, his cousins to gain employment. In February 1789 Robert Burns wrote from Ellisland Farm to his cousin, James Burnes in Montrose from Ellisland, saying: "We have lost poor uncle Robert this winter... His son William, has been with me this winter, and goes in May to bind himself to be a Mason with my father in law who is a pretty considerable Architect in Ayrshire. His other son, the eldest, John, comes to me, I expect in Summer.... His only daughter, Fanny, has been with me ever since her father's death and I purpose to keep her in my family til she be quite woman grown, and be fit for better service. She is one of the cleverest girls, and has one of the most amiable dispositions, that I have ever seen."[1] Both John and Fanny therefore lived with the Burns family for a time from 1789 at Ellisland Farm.[18]

See also

References

Notes
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Purdie, Page 56
  2. ↑ 1856 OS Map Retrieved : 2013-08-05
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Jackson, Page 22
  4. ↑ Burns Family Tree Retrieved : 2013-08-05
  5. 1 2 Boyle, Page 133
  6. ↑ Boyle, Page 90
  7. ↑ Strawhorn, Page 29
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Boyle, Page 145
  9. 1 2 3 4 Westwood, Page 207
  10. 1 2 3 Jackson, Page 25
  11. 1 2 3 Strawhorn, Page 26
  12. ↑ Boyle, Page 132
  13. ↑ Purdie, Page 104
  14. ↑ Chalmers, Page 36
  15. ↑ McNaught, Page 34
  16. ↑ Annual Burns Chronicle, Page 96
  17. 1 2 Annual Burns Chronicle, Page 159
  18. 1 2 Mackay, Page 450
  19. 1 2 Strawhorn, Page 24
  20. ↑ Milligan, Page 15
  21. ↑ Annual Burns Chronicle XX, Page 96
  22. 1 2 Barclay, Page 43
  23. ↑ Boyle, Page 146
Sources
  1. Annandale, Charles (Editor) (1890). The Works of Robert Burns. London : Blackie & Son.
  2. Annual Burns Chronicle & Club Directory. No.XIX. January 1910. Kilmarnock : Burns Federation.
  3. Annual Burns Chronicle & Club Directory. No.XX. January 1911. Kilmarnock : Burns Federation.
  4. Barclay, Alastair (1989). The Bonnet Toun. The Stewarton Bonnet Guild.
  5. Boyle, A. M. (1996), The Ayrshire Book of Burns-Lore. Darvel : Alloway Publishing. ISBN 0-907526-71-3.
  6. Chalmers, Alexander (1995). The Parish Church of Stewarton 1696-1996.
  7. Dougall, Charles E. (1911). The Burns Country. London : Adam and Charles Black.
  8. Hogg, Patrick Scott (2008). Robert Burns. The Patriot Bard. Edinburgh : Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84596-412-2.
  9. Jackson, J. R. (1996). Can You Help Find "Poor Uncle Robert". Burns Chronicle. Bicentenary Edition.
  10. Mackay, James. A Biography of Robert Burns. Edinburgh : Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 1-85158-462-5.
  11. McNaught, Duncan (1912). Kilmaurs Parish & Burgh. Paisley : Alexander Gardner.
  12. Purdie, David; McCue Kirsteen and Carruthers, Gerrard. (2013). Maurice Lindsay's The Burns Encyclopaedia. London : Robert Hale. ISBN 978-0-7090-9194-3.
  13. Strawhorn, John Letters from a Land Steward. Was he 'Poor Uncle Robert'. Annual Burns Chronicle & Club Directory.
  14. Westwood, Peter J. (2004). The Definitive Illustrated Companion to Robert Burns. Scottish Museums Council.
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