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Robert Burns (Son) Son's Invitation To Father's Funeral Son's Invitation To Mother's Funeral Two of Burns' Sons Great-Granddaughter In Nasmyth Portrait Great-Granddaughter At Alloway Great-Granddaughter With Mother At Dumfries home Great-Granddaughter With Portrait Bust

Robert Burns junior, the eldest son of Robert Burns c 1850

An enhanced monochrome photographic print of a on a cabinet card from the album of a local family

Robert Burns first met his wife, Jean Armour in Mauchline in 1784 shortly after his family moved to the farm of Mossgiel close to the town. The date of their marriage is unclear and their relationship was opposed by her parents, but on the third of September 1776 she gave birth to twins, Robert and Jean.

His twin sister died in infancy and by the time of his father's death in 1796 Robert Burns junior was the eldest of a family of five surviving children. He was educated at Dumfries Grammar School and at Glasgow and Edinburgh University. He obtained a position in the Stamp Office in London offered to him by the Prime Minister and retired to Dumfries in 1833. He tried his hand at writing verse but did not demonstrate his father's genius. In some accounts of his life he is presented as a rather dissipate figure, trading on his father's memory.

Cabinet cards were almost always studio portraits, they were produced to be sold or exchanged and were collected in elaborate albums, specially made for the purpose, often with window mounts to display the cards. This cabinet card dates from the 1860s or 1870s when they were at the height of their popularity. It was produced by G Crow and Company of Glasgow but the image is taken from an earlier portrait of Robert Burns junior by Moryson of Dumfries, Castle Douglas and Lockerbie.

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