James McKie (publisher) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James M'Kie
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Mckie's 'Bibliotheca Burnsiana'
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| Born | 7 October 1816 Kilmarnock
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| Died | 26 September 1891 Kilmarnock
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| Occupation | Printer, Publisher, Bookbinder and Bookseller |
James M'Kie (1816–1891) was a famous Scottish printer, publisher, and bookseller. He is best known for publishing the first exact copy (called a "facsimile") of Robert Burns's famous 1786 book, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, also known as the "Kilmarnock Edition." M'Kie loved collecting items related to Robert Burns, and he built the largest collection of Burns's works and memorabilia in the world at that time. This amazing collection was later bought by the town of Kilmarnock and is now kept in the Kay Park Burns Museum.
Contents
Life and Work of James M'Kie
James M'Kie was born in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, on 7 October 1816. When he was 11 years old in 1828, he started an apprenticeship as a bookbinder. He worked for Hugh Crawford, who had taken over the printing business of John Wilson. John Wilson was the original printer of Robert Burns's famous "Kilmarnock Edition" poems.
James's apprenticeship lasted seven years. He worked long hours, from 6 AM to 8 PM, learning all about bookbinding, working at the counter, and printing. The building where he learned his trade had a special history. It once belonged to John Goldie, who helped Robert Burns publish his poems.
Early Career and Publishing
After finishing his apprenticeship in 1835, James M'Kie moved to Elgin for six months. In 1839, he got a job at a bookseller's in Saltcoats. There, he started a weekly newspaper called the 'Ayrshire Inspirer'. This paper featured poems and stories from local writers.
His friends in Kilmarnock encouraged him to publish an annual book called the 'Ayrshire Wreath'. This book also included contributions from local writers and was published on and off until 1855.
In 1844, James M'Kie married Agnes Jane Crawford. She was a widow with three daughters.
Taking Over the Business
In 1845, James M'Kie took over the printing business of Hugh Crawford & Son in Kilmarnock. The business moved to King Street and later expanded. He published many different types of books and pamphlets. These included poetry, school textbooks, and popular local histories like Archibald MacKay's 'History of Kilmarnock'.
In 1847, he opened another branch of his business in Dalry. His half-brother, David Brown, eventually took over this branch. In 1874, James M'Kie's step-son became a partner, and the company was renamed 'M'Kie & Drennan, Printers'. This partnership ended in 1879.
James M'Kie was good friends with another bookseller named Robert Irvine. Both were known for being strong-willed but also very kind.
Collecting Robert Burns's Works
James M'Kie was a member of the Kilmarnock Literary Society. He had been interested in Robert Burns since he was young. Around 1843, he started actively collecting different editions of Burns's works and other items related to the poet. His collection became famous around the world, and many visitors came to see it. People said he always gave his visitors a warm welcome.
In 1882, the Burns Club of Kilmarnock asked M'Kie about buying his collection. Money was raised through public donations. The town of Kilmarnock then bought the collection and placed it in the Burns Monument Museum in Kay Park.
James M'Kie passed away on 26 September 1891, at the age of 75. He had retired five years earlier. His home and the special library extension he built have since been taken down. D. Brown & Co. took over his printing business.
M'Kie's Publications
James M'Kie's companies, including M'Kie & Drennan and later D. Brown & Co., produced many important works. They were especially known for their exact copies (facsimiles) of the 1786 "Kilmarnock Edition" of Robert Burns's Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. They also published special editions, limited editions, and new printings of Burns's poems and songs.
Key Burns Publications
M'Kie published works related to Robert Burns from 1866 to 1886. These books were sold in Scotland, the rest of the British Empire, and North America.
- 1867, 1869, 1870: Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, by Robert Burns. This was an exact copy (facsimile) of the original 1786 Kilmarnock Edition. In 1870, the first American and Canadian versions of this facsimile were also published.
- 1869: Songs, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. M'Kie believed he had gathered a complete collection of all of Burns's songs.
- 1871: Kilmarnock Popular Edition. The complete poetical Works of Robert Burns. This edition arranged Burns's poems in the order they were first published.
- 1875: A Manual of Religious Belief with Biographical Preface. This was the first time William Burnes's (Robert Burns's father) 'Manual' was published. Only 600 copies were made.
- 1876, 1886, etc.: The Complete poetical works of Robert Burns. Many different versions of this complete collection were published over the years.
- 1881: The Bibliography of Robert Burns. This book listed all of Burns's works and included notes about his life and various Burns Clubs.
- 1886: Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, by Robert Burns. This was a special 100-year anniversary facsimile edition, with only 120 copies made.
James M'Kie also published his own books about Robert Burns:
- M'Kie, James (1886). Bibliotheca Burnsiana. Life and Works of Burns ... in the Private Library of James McKie. This book described the Burns collection in his own library.
- M'Kie, James (1874). The Burns Calendar: A Manual of Burnsiana .. A Concise Bibliography and A Record of Burns Relics. All 600 copies of this book were sold even before it was printed!
The Kilmarnock Edition Facsimiles
Only 612 copies of Robert Burns's Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect were printed by John Wilson in 1786. James M'Kie realized that most collectors would never be able to own an original copy because they were so rare. To meet this demand and because he admired Burns so much, M'Kie produced the first exact copy (facsimile) in 1867. He printed 600 copies, and each one was signed by him. These copies were highly praised, and all were sold before they were even printed!
At least sixteen different versions of these facsimiles were published between 1866 and 1886. This included a special edition in 1886, limited to just 120 copies, which also had James M'Kie's signature. The first American version of the facsimile was published in 1868.
Today, only 86 original copies of the 1786 Kilmarnock Edition are known to still exist.
The M'Kie Collection
James M'Kie's collection of Robert Burns's books, paintings, handwritten notes, and other items (known as "Burnsiana") grew to be the largest of its kind in the world at that time. It included between 600 and 700 books. He even built a special extension to his home in Kilmarnock in 1870, called the 'Ayrshire Burns Library', to house it.
As mentioned, the town of Kilmarnock bought the 'M'Kie Collection'. It was displayed in the Burns Monument Museum, which M'Kie had helped to establish in 1879. Later, a 'M'Kie Room' was created in the town's library and museum, the Dick Institute. After a fire at the Burns Monument Museum, the collection is now cared for by East Ayrshire Council Arts and Museums Service. Parts of it can even be seen online.
A detailed list of M'Kie's collection was made, which was 160 pages long. It listed over 1300 items, including 400 different editions of Burns's works.
Besides books, M'Kie also had a small collection of items that belonged to Robert Burns and his family:
- A chair and a small glass that belonged to Burns.
- A book called the Spectator that belonged to Burns's father, William Burnes, and had his signature.
- A handwritten copy of Burns's poem The Whistle : A Ballad.
For a while, the Burns collection of Duncan McNaught, a schoolmaster from Kilmaurs, became even larger than M'Kie's. However, McNaught's collection was later sold to an American collector in 1920 and taken to America, where it was sadly broken up after his death.
Images for kids
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The D.Brown & Co. 1909 Facsimile as signed by Duncan McNaught.
