17 Facts About Robert Burnes

Robert Burnes left the family farm of Clochnahill or Clokenhill in Kincardineshire with his younger brother William Burnes, and found work at the Lochridge or Lochrig limestone quarries and lime kilns that lay near Byrehill Farm near Stewarton.

Robert Burnes was a teacher, a gardener later in life and a land steward on the nearby Robertland Estate, possibly through the influence of his nephew.

Robert Burnes retained the spelling 'Burnes' throughout his life, however his nephew favoured the Ayrshire spelling of 'Burns' and official records as well as his memorial inscription omit the 'e'.

Robert Burnes is said to have gone to England or Southern Scotland at first, working for some time as a gardener, having supposedly parted from his brother on the summit of Garvock Tap.

Robert Burnes then lived for several years, arriving around 1748, certainly by 1781, in a cot house at Titwood Farm in Dreghorn Parish, where he worked in the summer months as a quarryman and possibly being apprenticed at some point as a stonemason.

Robert Burnes had severe rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis 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 sons.

Robert Burnes died two years after her husband had written of her 'tender' condition.

Janet Dean's mother worked with Fanny and recollected that Robert Burnes Burns gave her a holograph copy of 'The Holy Fair' which the family treasured, however its wheareabouts now is unknown.

John Robert Burnes may have worked as a farm labourer or as a weaver, however in his final years from 1843 he was a recipient of poor relief from the Stewarton parish as noted in the Heritors Records, dying on 17 February 1846, aged 78 and buried next to his father under the 1910 memorial.

Robert Burnes recalled that whilst living at Ellisland Farm he had been sent for the midwife when 'Colonel Burns' was born.

Robert Burnes told a story of helping Robert Burns at Ellisland by burning whin at the entrance to the barn to 'smoke out' a group of Buchanites after they had taken shelter without seeking permission.

Robert Burnes married Ann Newlands, fathering several children and dying in 1850 at an advanced age.

Robert Burnes's birth was registered in the parish of Irvine.

Robert Burnes is not mentioned in a letter of 1784 written by his father to his nephew Robert Burns.

Robert Burnes was a popular and much respected figure in the area and he is buried in a prime location in Stewarton's St Columba Church cemetery 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.

When Robert Burnes died, his nephew Robert did what he could to help John, William and Fanny Burnes, his cousins, to gain employment.

Robert Burnes is one of the cleverest girls, and has one of the most amiable dispositions, that I have ever seen.