DALRY BURNS CLUB

52nd Anniversary

MDCCCLXXVII


J McKie

List of Toasts Proposed

I. The Queen; Prince of Wales and other Members of the Royal Family; Army, Navy and Volunteers; and Both Houses of Parliament

Dr Blair

Capt Kerr replied for the Volunteers

 

Song. "Auld Scotland, I love Thee"

Mr Mitchell

Song. "Corn Rigs"

Mr Cameron

Song. "Happy we've been a' thegither"

Mr Beveridge

II. Memory of Jean Armour and Descendants of the Poet

The Croupier

Song. "My Wife's a bonnie wee thing"

Mr Loudon

Song. "Highland Mary"

Mr Mitchell

III. Deceased Members

James White

Song. "My boy Tammy"

Mr Hogg

Song. "Widow Malone"

Mr Kerr

IV. Dramatic Literature, with Shakespeare

Mr McCosh

Song. "Sweet Molly Malone"

Mr Knox

V. Geographical Explorers, with Capt Nares

Dr Blair

Song. "The Pilgrim Fathers"

Mr Cameron

VI. Our Novelists, with Scott

Mr Willison

Song. "McGregor's Gathering"

Mr Mitchell

VII. Fine Arts, with Neil Paton

Mr Theo Paton

Song. "The Village Blacksmith"

Mr Thomson

VIII. English Poets

Mr Comrie

Song. "The Lass o' Gowrie"

Mr Loudon

IX. At this stage arrived Mr McKie, the Chairman, and gave the Toast of the evening, "The Immortal Memory of Burns", which was received with unbounded enthusiasm

 

Song. "Bonnie Jean"

Mr Mitchell

Song. "Willie brewed a peck o' maut"

Mr Knox

Song. "The year that's awa'"

Mr Knox

X. The Land o' Cakes

Mr Aitken

Song. "Green grow the rashes, o"

Mr Hogg

Song. "Coming thro' the rye"

Mr Thomson

XI. The Biographers of Burns

Mr Brown

Song. "Gloomy winter's noo awa'"

Mr Cameron

XII. The Young Members, with Andrew Patrick: and thereafter "The Chairman" and "The Croupier", closed the evening.

 

 

 

Members Present

James McKie*, Kilmarnock, Chairman

John Kerr, Church, Accrington, Lancashire, Croupier

Daniel Cameron, Contractor, Auchinleck

David Beveridge, Contractor

John S Frew, Blair Iron Works

James White, Kilwinning

David Longwill, Hawhill

Allan Loudon

Alexander Comrie, Inspector

Dr Blair

William Mitchell, Precentor, West Church

John Young, Jeweller, Glasgow

A B Aitken, Carsehead

John Paton, "Mine Host of the "Turf"

David Brown, Printer

Theo Paton, Swinlees

James M McCosh, Solicitor

New Members

Alex Willison (admitted last year but prevented by illness from being present at the anniversary)

John Fulton, Pitcon

Andrew Patrick, Johnstone

James Knox, Brownhill

Archibald Gray, Middleton

William Thomson, Ironmonger

Andrew Hogg, Teacher, Burnside School

Thomas Craig (a member previously but not present at two last meetings)

25 Members

*James McKie is an enthusiastic admirer of the Poet. In 1867, Mr McKie published a "Reprint and Fac-simile of the Original Kilmarnock Edition " of Burns' Works, and in 1869 he issued the "Kilmarnock Complete Edition of Burns' Poems and Songs" similar in style to the "Fac-simile". Copies of both these works are deposited in the "Cairn".

Mr McKie was the Originator and Life of the movement having for its object the erection of a Statue of the Poet in Kilmarnock. Having to attend an important Meeting, for the furtherance of this object, held in Kilmarnock on the evening of the present anniversary, he was unable to reach Dalry until the arrival of the London train. During the earlier part of the evening the Chair was filled by Dr Blair.