Irvine Burns Club
| Irvine Burns Club | |
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| Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland UK grid reference NS3203739218 |
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Wellwood House, Irvine Burns Club
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 Irvine Burns Club
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| Coordinates | 55°37′03″N 4°40′07″W / 55.617464°N 4.668645°WCoordinates: 55°37′03″N 4°40′07″W / 55.617464°N 4.668645°W |
| Grid reference | NS 32037 39218 |
| Type | Burns Club |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Irvine Burns Club |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Site history | |
| Built | 19th century |
| Materials | Stone and brick |
The Irvine Burns Club was founded on 2 June 1826 and is one of the world's longest continuously active Burns Clubs. At least five personal friends of Robert Burns were among the group of local gentleman, whose idea it was to form the club. Irvine in North Ayrshire is an old market town and port situated on the west coast of Scotland, approx 14 miles north of Ayr.
The Irvine Burns Club, originally formed in the Milne's Inn (now The Crown Inn) is now based in Wellwood House (known simply as 'Wellwood'), Eglinton Street, and has an unbroken history dating back to 2 June 1826. The club had twelve founding members of whom five were known to Robert Burns, and two were once his close friends. The original minute of the meeting reads:
"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 is signed by John Mackenzie, M.D.; David Sillar, Bailie; William Gillies, Grain Dealer; John Peebles, Convener of Trades; James Johnston, Town Clerk; Robert Wyllie, Harbour Master; John Orr, Merchant; James Allan, Merchant (grocer); Maxwell Dick, Bookseller; William Shields, Senior, Merchant; John Fletcher, Surgeon; and Patrick Blair, Writer.
Dr John Mackenzie, was the first club president. He had been a doctor in Mauchline, attended Burns' dying father at Lochlea in 1784 and married one of the "Mauchline Belles" before moving to Irvine in the capacity of personal physician to the Earl of Eglinton and his family. David Sillar, the first Vice-president, had been a friend of Burns since his teenage years, was a member of the Tarbolton Bachelors Club, became a grocer, and finally an Irvine Council Bailie.
In 1925 Provost Hogg arranged for the donation to the club of the councillor's chairs used by John Mackenzie and David Sillar in celebration of the club's centenary.
The club meets monthly at its own premises, Wellwood House, and has a structure of a President and Vice-President, other office holders, Directors, and members. The year is centred on events such as the 'Annual Celebration' and the 'Wreath Laying' at the Irvine Moor Burns Statue during January, the Directors' Dinner in March, Founders Day in June, etc.
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Wikipedia