Nelly Kilpatrick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nelly Kilpatrick
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The headstone of Nelly Kilpatrick's parents
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| Born | 24 February 1759 |
| Died | 1820 Scotland
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| Occupation | Wife to William Bone |
Nelly Kilpatrick (1759–1820), also known as Helen Kilpatrick or later Nelly Bone, was a Scottish woman. She is believed to have been Robert Burns's first love and inspiration for his poetry. Robert Burns was a famous Scottish poet. Nelly's story is an interesting part of his early life.
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Nelly's Early Life
Nelly was born on February 24, 1759, in Perclewan, Scotland. She was baptized on March 1, 1759. Her full name was Helen, but people often called her Nelly. She was likely the daughter of John Kilpatrick, who worked as a miller, and his wife Jane Reid. They lived near Dalrymple.
Nelly's Life and Family
Nelly was known for her sweet singing voice. She would often sing while working in the fields. Later, Nelly married a man named William Bone. He worked as a coachman for the Laird of Newark.
Nelly lived in the old village of Purclewan. She lived at the mill there. She might have met Robert Burns at the mill or at the local blacksmith's shop. Her brother, William, put up a tombstone for their parents in the Low Coylton Kirkyard.
Nelly's Family History
Nelly's family, the Kilpatricks, lived at Millmannoch Mill in the early 1700s. They were millers and also worked as blacksmiths. This was common because milling was only done for part of the year.
Nelly's father, Allan Kilpatrick, was born at Millmannoch in 1725. He also worked as both a miller and a blacksmith. This is why some people were unsure about his main job. Allan later moved to Purclewan with his father.
Who Was "Handsome Nell"?
Robert Burns never clearly said Nelly's last name in his writings. For a while, people thought his first love was someone else. But Burns's sister, Isobel, later said it was Nelly Kilpatrick. Isobel was very young at the time, so some people question if she remembered correctly.
Isobel said Nelly was the daughter of the blacksmith in Perclewan. Nelly Kilpatrick was only a few weeks younger than Robert Burns. However, Burns once said his "Nell" was a year younger than him.
Nelly and Robert Burns
When Robert Burns was 15, he met "Handsome Nell." She was his first young love. He described her as a "bonnie, sweet, sonsie lass." He never told her how he felt. Nelly Bone is the same person as Nelly Kilpatrick.
They first met when Burns's father hired extra help for the harvest. This was at Mount Oliphant Farm. Burns and Nelly were paired together, which was a common custom in Ayrshire.
Burns wrote about Nelly in a letter. He said he loved to walk behind her when they returned from work. Her voice made his heart feel like an Aeolian harp. His pulse raced when he touched her hand to remove nettle stings.
He wrote his first song, "Handsome Nell", for her. He never published it during his life. It appeared in his Commonplace Book. He set it to the tune of Nelly's favorite reel.
Burns heard Nelly singing a song by a local boy who liked her. He felt he could write a better song. So, he wrote "Handsome Nell" with her in mind.
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The exact tune for this song is now lost. Years later, Burns wrote about this song. He said he never thought of becoming a poet until he fell in love. Then, writing poems and songs felt natural to him. He remembered writing it with strong feelings. Even later, thinking about it made his heart melt.
Nelly is also thought to be in Burns's poem, "Halloween".
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And another verse from the same poem:
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Images for kids
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Datestone from Millmannoch Mill
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Full view of the Naysmith portrait of 1787, Scottish National Portrait Gallery
See also
- Jean Armour
- Alison Begbie
- Nelly Blair
- Agnes Burns
- Agnes Broun
- Isabella Burns
- Elizabeth 'Betty' Burns
- William Burnes
- May Cameron
- Mary Campbell (Highland Mary)
- Jenny Clow
- Jean Gardner
- Jessie Lewars
- Mary Morison
- Ann Park
- Elizabeth Paton
- Peggy Thompson
