Burns Clubs facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Burns Clubs
The portrait of Burns, by Alexander Nasmyth, 1787 (detail)
Born	(1759-01-25)25 January 1759 Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland
Died	21 July 1796(1796-07-21) (aged 37) Dumfries, Scotland
Nationality	Scottish
Citizenship	British
Literary movement	Romanticism

The Tarbolton Batchelors' Club, a model for Burns clubs around the world.

Burns Clubs are groups found all over the world. Their main goal is to remember and celebrate the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns. They also want to encourage people to love his writings and learn about the Scots language and literature.

Many clubs focus on getting young people interested in Burns. They do this through poetry, singing, and other fun competitions. In the past, most Burns Clubs were only for men, like the original Bachelors' Club, Tarbolton. But now, most clubs welcome women as members. There are even 'Ladies Burns Clubs', like the 'Irvine Lasses', which started in 1975.

Some Burns Clubs have special collections of Burns's original writings, old items, or souvenirs. For example, the Irvine Burns Club has the only original handwritten pages from his famous book, "Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect", printed in 1786. Many clubs also have libraries full of books about Burns, other Scottish poets, and Scottish history and culture.

These clubs often hold special ceremonies to remember important dates in Burns's life. This includes his birthday and the day he passed away. They also celebrate big events like when his first book was published.

Many clubs are part of a bigger group called the Robert Burns World Federation (RBWF). This federation started in 1885 in Kilmarnock. There are also smaller groups, like the Ayrshire Association of Burns Clubs. A key event for most Burns Clubs is their annual celebration supper. This usually happens around January 25th, which is the poet's birthday. In 1959, the city of Glasgow alone had 25 Burns Clubs with about 4,000 members!

Most Burns Clubs welcome anyone to join. However, some clubs invite members only, often because their meeting places are small. Examples include the Burns Club Atlanta and the Paisley Burns Club. Most clubs are run by a committee. The top leaders are usually called Presidents or Chairmen, and they serve for one or two years. Many clubs have special chains of office, which are often engraved with the names of past leaders.

Most Burns Clubs rent places for their meetings. But at least five clubs own their own buildings. These include the Irvine Burns Club and the Paisley Burns Club. In 1920, 'The Burns House Club' opened in Glasgow. It was a central meeting spot for many Burns Societies.

What are Burns Clubs Called?

Most clubs are named after the town or city where they are located. Some clubs add a special word linked to Burns, like "Cronies" or "Jolly Beggars." The Alamo Burns Club is named after the inn where its first Burns Supper took place. You can even find Burns clubs on Facebook!

The History of Burns Clubs

The very first Burns supper was held around 1801. Within ten years, many yearly celebrations of Burns's life and works were happening. People were so enthusiastic that one reverend even wrote a poem called "Burnomania" (meaning 'Burns-mania') about how popular Robert Burns was! By 2004, the Robert Burns World Federation had about 400 clubs connected to it. These clubs had around 60,000 members in total.

Part of the Irvine Burns Club's Presidents Chain of Office.

Oldest Burns Clubs

The Greenock Burns Club is known as the 'Mother Club'. It started in 1801 and has held celebrations every year since then. The Irvine Burns Club has been active without a break since it began on June 2, 1826. Five of its twelve founding members actually knew Robert Burns, and two were his close friends. The Paisley Burns Club (started in 1805) stopped meeting for a while between 1836 and 1874.

The Burns Club of London is listed as No. 1 on the Robert Burns World Federation list. However, the Kilmarnock Burns Club was actually the first to be registered, listed as '0'.

Club Spotlights

Alexandria Burns Club

The Alexandria Burns' Club was formed in 1884. It became part of the Federation in 1885 as Club No. 2. Its first leaders were Duncan Campbell (president), William Carlile (treasurer), and Alexander Bryan (secretary). This club has held regular monthly meetings since it started.

Burns Club of Atlanta

This club officially started in 1896. It is a private social club and a group that celebrates the works of Robert Burns. The club holds monthly meetings and a yearly Burns Supper around Burns's birthday. They have done this every year since 1898. Their events take place in the Atlanta Burns Cottage. This cottage is a copy of Robert Burns's birthplace in Alloway, Scotland, and was built in 1909.

Burns Cottage, Alloway, Scotland.

Dalry Burns Club

The Dalry Burns Club began in 1825. It has one of the longest continuous records of holding Burns Suppers, second only to Greenock. Other clubs started earlier, but none can match Dalry's unbroken record of yearly celebrations for Robert Burns. This club is 'Number 35' on the list of the Robert Burns World Federation, which itself only started in 1884.

United Burns Club of Dunfermline

The 'Haggis Club' was the first Burns Club in Dunfermline, formed on January 25, 1812. It continued until 1820. The Dunfermline Burns Club started on January 26, 1820. Then, in 1847, this club joined with the Junior Haggis Club to become the United Burns Club of Dunfermline.

Calgary Burns Club

The Calgary Burns Club was founded in 1974. It officially received its charter in 1976. The idea for the club came from a Burns Supper held in 1964 at the home of John and Lilian Patterson in Calgary, Canada. This led to a series of suppers hosted by other Scottish people in Calgary. In 1976, a group of members created the club's charter. They named Grant MacEwan as the club's patron and became recognized by the Burns Federation. The club has held annual Burns Suppers ever since. The Calgary Burns Club believes that remembering Robert Burns and the friendships that come from it are very important for Scottish Calgarians. The club also supports Scottish literature, art, and music by sharing its talents and helping with Scottish cultural events.

Edinburgh Burns Supper Club

The Edinburgh Burns Supper Club was formed in 1848 by Burns's friend and publisher, George Thomson. It is No. 22 on the Robert Burns World Federation list. Famous writers like Arthur Conan Doyle and John Buchan attended its dinners. The club stopped meeting in 1986 but started up again in 2007.

Greenock Burns Club

The first Burns Club, known as 'The Mother Club', started in Greenock on July 21, 1801. This was the 5th anniversary of Burns's death. The club is said to have held their, and therefore the first, Burns supper on January 29, 1802. However, in 1803, it was found that Burns's correct birth date was January 25, 1759. Several club members knew Burns personally. These included Alexander Dalziel, Richard Brown (Burns's friend from Irvine), and James Findlay, who was married to one of the "Mauchline Belles." The club has held a yearly celebration since it began. Many famous speakers have visited, including Sir J.M. Barrie and Lord Steel of Aikwood.

Burns Howff Club of Dumfries

This club was formed in 1889 and joined the Robert Burns World Federation in 1899 as 'Number 112'. They meet in the Globe Inn at Dumfries. The club is named this way because the Globe Inn was Robert Burns's favorite 'Howff' (or pub) in Dumfries. Four club members have served as President of the Federation. The club's membership is limited to 120 people because their room in the Globe Inn is small. They also have a large library of books about Burns and his friends, along with some Burns souvenirs.

Irvine Burns Club

The 'Wellwood' premises of the Irvine Burns Club.

The Irvine Burns Club started in the Milne's Inn (now The Crown Inn). It is now based in Wellwood House. This club has been active without a break since June 2, 1826. It had twelve founding members. Five of them knew Robert Burns, and two were his close friends. The original notes from their first meeting say:

"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 was signed by several important local people. These included Dr. John Mackenzie, who became the first club president. He had been a doctor in Mauchline and cared for Burns's dying father. David Sillar, the first vice-president, had been Burns's friend since they were teenagers.

Kilmarnock Number 'O' Burns Club

This club states it was started in 1808 at the Angel Inn. Its first President was D. Campbell of Skerrington. The club stopped meeting for several periods, including from 1814 to 1841 and during the World Wars. President Brown of the 'Burns Club of London' helped create the Robert Burns World Federation in 1885. His club was given the 'Number 1' spot. Because of this, the Kilmarnock Burns Club received the 'Number 0' title at the first official meeting in Kilmarnock. Duncan McNaught was a member of the group that formed the Federation and was also a president of this club.

Burns Club of London - Number 1

The Burns Club of London was founded in 1868 by Colin Rae Brown. He was from Greenock and had been a past President of the Greenock Burns Club. He was a wealthy newspaper owner and played a big part in setting up the Robert Burns World Federation. Because of his involvement, his club was given the 'Number 1' spot on the Federation's list. The Kilmarnock Burns Club then became 'Number 0'. The London club meets regularly at The Caledonian Club. On January 25th, members and guests lay a wreath at the Burns monument in London. Special celebrations are planned for the club's 150th anniversary in 2018.

Paisley Burns Club

1805 Immortal Memory

This club was founded in 1805. It claims to be the world's oldest officially formed Burns Club, originally named 'Paisley Burns' Anniversary Society'. It meets monthly in the winter in a cottage once owned by Robert Tannahill, a local poet. The club owns its building, which was given to them in 1933. Membership is still only for men and is limited to 40. The club was not active from 1836 to 1874.

Dundee Burns Club

The Dundee Burns Club was founded in 1860. From 1877, the club worked hard to get a John Steell statue of Robert Burns put up in Dundee's Albert Square. A silk banner made for the statue's unveiling in 1880 is now kept at the McManus Gallery and was restored in 2012. The club has a special pipe reel dance tune named after it, "The Dundee Burns Club." It was written by the famous Scottish fiddler James Scott Skinner.

Partick Burns Club

The Partick Burns Club started in 1885. It has met to honor Robert Burns every January since then, except for some years during the First and Second World Wars. The club was founded by local business people and members of the Partick town council. Until 1912, when Partick became part of Glasgow, the club presidents were almost always the town's Provosts (mayors). Their annual supper usually has about 130 people attending, from teenagers to people in their nineties.

Winnipeg Robert Burns Club

The Winnipeg Robert Burns Club was founded in 1907. It joined the Burns Federation in 1911 as #197 on the list. It claims to be the "oldest continuously existing federated Burns Club outside the United Kingdom." The club was started by a group of workers who held a Burns Supper in January 1907. In 1936, they put up a statue of Robert Burns, a copy of the George Lawson statue in Ayr, on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislature. They hold their Burns Supper every year on January 25th.

What Burns Clubs Do

Memorial dedicated to John Lapraik (1727-1807), a poet and friend of Robert Burns.

Besides holding Burns suppers, clubs also get involved with school and club competitions for young people. They have inter-club nights and other social activities. An example is the Professor Ross Roy Quiz Night held by the Ayrshire Association of Burns Clubs.

Local clubs and the Robert Burns World Federation also help take care of various places linked to Robert Burns. This includes the 'Trysting Tree' from Burns's poem The Soldier's Return at Millmannoch. They also help maintain the Highland Mary and Robert Burns Memorial at Failford. Both of these places are in Ayrshire.

Robert Burns and Highland Mary Memorial

Clubs also raise money for good causes. They hold talks, do original research, and have special 'Ladies' or 'Jean Armour Nights'. They also celebrate St Andrew's Nights and Hallowe'en Nights. Many clubs organize yearly trips and take part in local events, like the 'Marymass Events' in Irvine.

Every year, the Southern Scottish Counties Burns Association holds a service at the Brow Well. This is to remember Robert Burns, who passed away four days after visiting the Brow Well on July 21, 1796.

The 'Burns Chronicle' was first published by the Robert Burns World Federation in 1891. It keeps a record of clubs and their activities. It also features articles about Burns contributed by members. Special editions are sometimes released for events like the 2009 'Homecoming'.

Burns Clubs and Freemasonry

Masonic Penny from Lodge St James.

Robert Burns became a Freemason in Lodge St. David, Tarbolton, in 1781, when he was 23 years old. He was later chosen as "Depute Master" of Lodge St. James at age 25. In 1787, at a meeting in Edinburgh, Burns was honored by the Worshipful Grand Master. In February 1787, Burns was named the Poet Laureate of Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No. 2, Edinburgh. When Burns moved to Dumfries, he joined Lodge St. Andrew in 1788. In 1792, he was elected Senior Warden. A strong connection to Freemasonry is a common feature of many Burns Clubs.