The Albany Burns Club was founded by a few members of the soon-to-be-defunct Albany Bowling Club in order ‘[t]o keep up the old and valued friendships that were made on its turn’ (‘Club Notes’, ‘ALBANY BURNS CLUB’, in Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. X (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1901), pp. 107-8). They formed their club ‘for the purpose of affording its members an opportunity of studying the works of our National Bard as well as meeting together throughout the winter months in a social capacity’ (Ibid).

The club met monthly between October and March at the Trades’ House Restaurant on Glassford Street (Merchant City, in the heart of the city centre) with membership being restricted to 150 members.

Date of Existence

1899?-? (the 1901 Annual Burns Chronicle gives 1900 as the founding year, while the 1904 Chronicle gives 1899); Federated 1900

Source of Information

1. Roseberry [sic] Donation, Catalogue of the Burns Exhibition. Galleries of the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 175 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow (Glasgow: William Hodge & Co., 1896), [title page] (Mitchell Library Special Collections, 907880);

2. ‘Burns Anniversary. Celebrations in Falkirk and District. Falkirk Burns Club’, Falkirk Herald, 27 January 1909, p. 6;

3. ‘Burns’ Anniversary. Celebrations in Falkirk and District. Falkirk Burns Club’, Falkirk Herald, 28 January 1914, p. 3;

4. ‘Burns’ Anniversary. Celebrations in Falkirk and District. Falkirk Burns Club’, Falkirk Herald, 31 January 1914, p. 3;

5. ‘Club Notes’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. X (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1901), pp. 107-8;

6. ‘Club Notes’, in BC, ed.  by D. M’Naught, No. XI (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1902), p. 122; 146;

7. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1904’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XIII (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1904), p. 147;

8. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1905’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XIV (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1905), p. 157;

9. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1909’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XVIII (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1909), p. 172.

Repository

Mitchell Library Special Collections (MLSC) (Catalogue, and Annual Burns Chronicle)

National Library of Scotland (NLS) (Annual Burns Chronicle)

Reference Number

907880 (MLSC) (Catalogue)

BNS19BUR (MLSC) (Annual Burns Chronicle)

General Reading Room (stored offsite), Y.233, available no. 1-34 25th Jan. 1892-Jan. 1925 (NLS) (Annual Burns Chronicle)

Additional Notes

This Burns club sent visitors to and held joint meetings with the following: Rosebery Burns Club, Glasgow Carlton Burns Club, Bridgeton Burns Club, and Sandyford Burns Clubs.

‘BC‘ refers to the Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, which was published yearly since 1892. Hard copies are available at the Mitchell Library Special Collections and the National Library of Scotland. Many of them have been digitised and are available through the Robert Burns World Federation website: http://www.rbwf.org.uk/digitised-chronicles/.

This list of Burns chronicles as sources of information gives the first year the club was included in the chronicle, and thereafter only for the years where the information is different from the previous year’s listing. In keeping with the scope of this study (1800-1914), only the chronicles published between 1892 and 1914 are included.

The evidence for this society comes from the syllabus for the Spring 1862 session and from the three extant issues of a magazine produced in manuscript by its members (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). The ‘Order of Readers’ at the front of the April 1862 issue lists 21 readers (presumably all male; the July issue only lists 17), which suggests that this was a relatively small group.

At the front of the April 1862 issue of The Albion Journal can be found a flyer for the April to June 1862 syllabus. From this, we know that members met weekly on Wednesday evenings at 1 Cross Gibson Street in the Gallowgate area (in the heart of the city centre). They read essays and held debates on a variety of subjects. According to a note at the bottom of the syllabus, ‘Grammar, &c., will be engaged in each evening’, and a formal ‘Conversation’ between the members on a pre-arranged topic was held on nights when essays were read.

Within the April 1862 issue is transcribed an address given by their President to the group at the inauguration of the society in September 1860. Speaking  for the society, he said that it was through their mutual improvement class, through reading, writing and debating — indeed their ‘labour‘ — that members hoped they could improve their position in and contribute to society.

Date of Existence

13 September 1860-1863?

Source of Information

Anderston is an area just over a mile to the west of Glasgow’s city centre. (For more information about this area, see Michael Moss’s article, ‘Industrial Revolution: 1770s to 1830s. Neighbourhoods. Anderston‘ on The Glasgow Story website).

According to John M’Dowall, author of The People’s History of Glasgow (1899): 

‘The Anderston Social Club was formed on 13th June, 1813. It was originally composed of thirty members, who chiefly resided in the villages of Anderston and Finnieston. It met in a tavern in Anderston, belonging to John Adam, every Monday night, from half-past eight till eleven o’clock. In addition to talking over the latest war news, poetry was a specialty with the members, among whom was William Glen, the author of “Wae’s me for Prince Charlie.” Many of the songs composed by the members are contained in the minute-books of the club.’

(John K. M’Dowall, The People’s History of Glasgow. An Encyclopedic Record of the City From the Prehistoric Period to the Present Day (Glasgow: Hay Nisbet and Co. Ltd., 1899), pp. 92-3)

It is currently unknown if these minute books still exist.

Date of Existence

13 June 1813-?

Source of Information

There is very little currently known about this club. According to the Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, members met on the first Saturday of each month at an establishment on St. Vincent Street (to the west of the city centre, no number given).

Date of Existence

1900-? Federated 13 October 1913

Source of Information

1. (Mentioned in annual report in Glasgow and District Burns Club minute book: ‘Annual Report for Session 1913-1914’, Minutes, Glasgow and District Burns Club, 12 September 1912-30 April 1919, p. 60 (MLSC, 891709));

2. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1914’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XXIII (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1914), p. 231

Repository

Mitchell Library Special Collections (MLSC) (minutes, and Annual Burns Chronicle)

National Library of Scotland (NLS) (Annual Burns Chronicle)

Reference Number

891709 (MLSC) (minutes)

BNS19BUR (MLSC) (Annual Burns Chronicle)

General Reading Room (stored offsite) Y.233, available no. 1-34 25th Jan. 1892-Jan. 1925 (NLS) (Annual Burns Chronicle)

Additional Notes

See also Glasgow and District Burns Club.

‘BC‘ refers to the Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, which was published yearly since 1892. Hard copies are available at the Mitchell Library Special Collections and the National Library of Scotland. Many of them have been digitised and are available through the Robert Burns World Federation website: http://www.rbwf.org.uk/digitised-chronicles/.

This list of Burns chronicles as sources of information gives the first year the club was included in the chronicle, and thereafter only for the years where the information is different from the previous year’s listing. In keeping with the scope of this study (1800-1914), only the chronicles published between 1892 and 1914 are included.

This Burns club met weekly on Saturday evenings at Mrs. M’Arthur’s in 1883, later the Club Rooms at M’Culloch’s in 1892, both of which are listed as 109 Argyle Street, before moving in 1896 (at least) to Whyte and Smith’s at 89 Glassford Street.

The club’s object was  ‘[t]he annual celebration of the birth-day of Robert Burns; occasional re-unions for the cultivation of social and intellectual intercourse amongst the members and friends’ (‘Bank Burns Club’, ‘Associations Too Late For Classification’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1883-1884… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1883), p. 128). There were 150 members in the 1890s.

Date of Existence

1844-1909; 1914-? Federated 1886

Source of Information

1. ‘Bank Burns Club’, ‘Associations Too Late For Classification’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1883-1884… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1883), p. 128;

2. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies, for 1892’, in BC, ed. by John Muir, No. I (Kilmarnock: D. Brown & Co., 25 January 1892), p. 130;

3. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1894’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. III (Kilmarnock: D. Brown & Co., February 1894), p. 193;

4. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1896’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. V (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1896), p. 131

Repository

Mitchell Library Special Collections (MLSC) (Glasgow Post Office directories, and Annual Burns Chronicle)

National Library of Scotland (NLS) (Glasgow Post Office directories, and Annual Burns Chronicle)

Reference Number

BNS19BUR (MLSC) (Annual Burns Chronicle)

General Reading Room (stored offsite), Y.233, available no. 1-34 25th Jan. 1892-Jan. 1925 (NLS) (Annual Burns Chronicle)

Additional Notes

Where there are breaks in the dates of a club’s existence, it was the case that the directories listed them as ‘dormant’ during the intervening years.

The Glasgow Post Office directories are available at the Mitchell Library and the National Library of Scotland. Digitised copies are available through the NLS website: https://www.nls.uk/family-history/directories/post-office/index.cfm?place=Glasgow

‘BC‘ refers to the Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, which was published yearly since 1892. Hard copies are available at the Mitchell Library Special Collections and the National Library of Scotland. Many of them have been digitised and are available through the Robert Burns World Federation website: http://www.rbwf.org.uk/digitised-chronicles/.

This list of Burns chronicles as sources of information gives the first year the club was included in the chronicle, and thereafter only for the years where the information is different from the previous year’s listing. In keeping with the scope of this study (1800-1914), only the chronicles published between 1892 and 1914 are included.

Clydebank is located to the west of Glasgow and is situated on the north of the River Clyde. The Visit Scotland website offers a brief history of the area:

‘Clydebank is the historic heartland of the Scottish shipbuilding industry […]

During the 19th century, Clydebank grew from a small village to one of the world’s major ship building centres. The town was originally known as Barns o’ Clyde, but changed its name in 1882 after the Thomson brothers relocated their shipyard to the village and began building tenement housing for the workers.’

According to the Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, from 1910 until 1913 (at least), this Burns club met once a month between September and April at Mr Hutcheon’s Restaurant on Glasgow Road, Clydebank. It is currently unknown how many members it had.

Date of Existence

1896-? Federated 2 March 1910

Source of Information

1. (Mentioned in minutes of the Glasgow and District Burns Club: Minute entry, 11 December 1907, Glasgow and District Burns Club, Minutes, 8 November 1907-5 September 1912, p. 9 (MLSC, 891709));

2. ‘Club Notes’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XX (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1911), p. 127;

3. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1911’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XX (Kilmarnock, Burns Federation, January 1911), p. 179;

Members of this literary society were most likely part of the congregation of the Barony Church (Church of Scotland), which was located in the Townhead area of Glasgow and near the cathedral. (For more information about the church, see ‘Barony Church, Glasgow. History‘, on the University of Strathclyde Archives online catalogue. See also Gordon Adams’s article, ‘Barony Church of Scotland‘, on the East Glasgow History website. For more information about the Townhead area of Glasgow, see Gerald Blaikie’s article, ‘Townhead Glasgow. Cathedral Precinct‘, on the ScotCities website.)

This group met weekly on Wednesdays at 8pm in M’Lauchlan School Room (Free School), which was located at 107 Cathedral Street in the city centre. The subscription for membership was three shillings per annum (a bit more expensive than the average, which was 2s 6d) and entitled members to use of the society’s Library. The Library (also located at the M’Lauchlan School Room) was open on the last Wednesday of every month at 8pm. While membership was restricted to male members of the congregation, women nonetheless contributed to the society’s magazine, which was not unusual.

The group produced a magazine for their society in manuscript between 1863 and 1875 (at least) (see ‘Additional Notes’ below).

Date of Existence

1863-1875?

Source of Information

Bridgeton is an area to the east of Glasgow’s city centre. (For more information about this area, see Gordon Adams’s chapter, [Bridgeton & Dalmarnock], ‘Historical Background‘, on the East Glasgow History website.)

The Bridgeton Burns Club’s website gives the group’s earliest stated object as being the:

‘…endeavour, through DONATION, SUBSCRIPTION and other MEANS to establish a fund for the encouragement of the KNOWLEDGE and CULTIVATION of SCOTTISH LITERATURE amongst the children of members, with a view ultimately to found scholarships… and… bursaries at the University, for meritorious Pupils selected from the Bridgeton Elementary Schools, who shall excel in a competitive examination on a portion of Scottish literature previously indicated by the Club.’

(‘History’, Bridgeton Burns Club <http://www.bridgetonburnsclub.org.uk/history.html> [accessed 27/02/18])

Today, the Schools Competition continues to be one of the club’s foremost activities.

In the late nineteenth century, the group met in the Club Rooms at 2 James Street, and later in the Mechanics’ Hall on Canning Street (now part of London Road), Calton. (For more information about this area, see Gordon Adams’s article, ‘Carlton’ on the East Glasgow History website.) Its membership grew from ‘about 250’ in 1894, to 380 in 1914.

Date of Existence

1870-present. Federated 1891

Source of Information

1. Bridgeton Burns Club Minutes, January 1871-23 January 1893 (MLSC, 891421);

2. Bridgeton Burns Club Minutes, 1893-1906 (MLSC, 891707);

3. Annual general meeting [of the Bridgeton Burns Club], Tuesday, 23 March 1993, Marriott Hotel, Argyle Street, Glasgow [agenda and minutes] (3 leaves) (MLSC, Mitchell (AL) BNSf24 BRI 907733);

4. Bridgeton Burns Club Homepage <http://www.bridgetonburnsclub.org.uk/> [accessed 10/05/15];

5. Glasgow and District Burns Club Homepage <http://www.robertburns.plus.com/Association.htm#Glasgow> [accessed 23/09/15];

6. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies, for 1892’, BC, ed. by John Muir, No. I (Kilmarnock: D. Brown & Co., 25 January 1892), p. 130;

7. Minute entry for 27 March 1913, Glasgow and District Burns Club, Minutes, 12 September 1912-30 April 1919 (MLSC, 891709, p. 15);

8. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1894’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. III (Kilmarnock: D. Brown & Co., February 1894), p. 195;

9. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1896’, in BC,  ed. by D. M’Naught, No. V (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1896), p. 133;

10. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1897’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. VI (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1897), p. 152;

11. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1898’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. VII (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1898), p. 139;

12. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1899’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. VIII (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1899), p. 157;

13. (Note: there are numerous articles in the Glasgow Herald on this club; see the British Newspaper Archive <https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/>)

Repository

Mitchell Library Special Collections (MLSC)

Reference Number

(See Source of Information, and below for Annual Burns  Chronicle)

BNS19BUR (MLSC) (Annual Burns Chronicle)

General Reading Room (stored offsite), Y.233, available no. 1-34 25th Jan. 1892-Jan. 1925 (NLS) (Annual Burns Chronicle)

Additional Notes

This Burns club sent visitors to and held joint meetings with the following: Rosebery Burns Club, Glasgow Carlton Burns Club, Albany Burns Club, and Sandyford Burns Clubs.

‘BC‘ refers to the Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, which was published yearly since 1892. Hard copies are available at the Mitchell Library Special Collections and the National Library of Scotland. Many of them have been digitised and are available through the Robert Burns World Federation website: http://www.rbwf.org.uk/digitised-chronicles/.

This list of Burns chronicles as sources of information gives the first year the club was included in the chronicle, and thereafter only for the years where the information is different from the previous year’s listing. In keeping with the scope of this study (1800-1914), only the chronicles published between 1892 and 1914 are included.

It is possible that this society was named for Henry Brougham (1778-1868), a highly influential advocate of social reform who helped to found the Edinburgh Review, and whose utilitarian philosophy was behind his Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. The Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (SDUK) was founded in November 1826, largely under the direction of Henry Brougham, who, along with George Birkbeck, George Grote, and William Tooke, formed a committee that became the SDUK, whose aim was the education of the working and middle classes through the production and publication of cheap educational books and materials. The society ceased to exist after 1848. (For an overview of the history of the society, see Robert Stewart, Henry Brougham, 1778-1868: His Public Career (London: The Bodley Head, 1985), pp. 188-95.)

There is little currently known about this club. From its listing in the Glasgow Post Office directory for 1863-1864, we know that beginning in 1861, the group met every Friday evening from September until April. The meeting place of the club was listed as being 38 Hutcheson Street, the address given in the same directory for ‘Patton, John spirit merchant’, so members were gathering at a local pub.

Date of Existence

1861-?

Source of Information

1.’Brougham Literary  Club’, ‘Literary and Scientific Societies’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1863, 1864… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1863), p. 88;

The ‘Club Notes’ in the Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory for 1901 includes this club’s Constitution, which gives its objects:

‘The objects of the Club shall be to foster an intimate acquaintance with the works of Burns, and to celebrate the memory of our National Bard by Annual Social Meetings, and by such other means as may be arranged.’

(‘Club Notes’, ‘CO-OPERATIVE BURNS CLUB’, in Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. X (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1901), pp. 106-7)

The same listing states that in order to join, gentlemen had to pay an entry fee of two shillings, and members paid an annual subscription of one shilling, which was cheaper than the average for other clubs during this period (2s 6d). The club held their meetings between September and April on the last Friday of each month. They met at 8pm at the Bridge Street Station Hotel (6 Bridge Street). Later, the club moved their meetings to 1 Cathcart Road, which, according to the 1904-1905 Glasgow Post Office directory, was the business address of one Mrs. James Anderson, wine and spirit merchant.

Date of Existence

1899?-? Federated 24 March 1899

Source of Information

1. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1900’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. IX (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1900), p. 148;

2. ‘Club Notes’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. X (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1901), pp. 106-7;

3. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1904’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XIII (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1904), p. 145;