History

The Club was founded in 1889 by Thomas Stewart of Greenloaning. It was one of the earliest Clubs to be affiliated into the Federation of Burns Club and is number 116 on their register.

Thomas Stewart, the founder, was Chairman for the first twelve years, during which time the membership grew from eight to over thirty members. In the early years of the Club, an annual concert was staged to raise funds for the annual community outing for both the adults and children of Greenloaning.

The original suppers were held in Mary-Ann’s Inn in Greenloaning where it is reputed that Robert Burns stayed the night en route to Crieff during his travels of 1787. Bob Robertson of Kinbuck donated the original bar bell from Mary-Ann’s to the Club a few years ago; a bell which Burns himself probably rang in drouthy anticipation (after a hard day in the saddle!).

One of the oldest artefacts the Club has is a hand-written poem in the Minute book by John R. Coupar of Topfold, Blackford in which he describes the Supper of 1904. In his poem he toasts the Club’s hostess, Mary-Ann:

“Hail hostess famed baith far and wide
The best kent dame o’ the countryside;
Famed as the friend o’ a’ wha come thy way
Straucht forrit, honest as the licht o’ day.

Let them wha may o’ riches boast,
Estates and lands in quite a host,
But we boast mair than e’er they can
The much-socht friendship o’ Guid Mary Ann”

From this poem, we also learn the toasts included one to Agriculture and one to Education.

The meetings and suppers were held in Mary-Ann’s Inn until the time of her death (date not known) and thereafter moved to the Allanbank.

We know that at some point after the Second World War, the suppers moved from the Allanbank to the Braco Hotel – again the precise year is not known as the minutes only go back to 1969. The Club moved back to the Allanbank Hotel in 1982 and the suppers were held there until we had to move to the Village Hall in Braco in February 1993 as the Allanbank was unoccupied at the time.

The 1988 supper was held in the Dunblane Golf Club (not sure why – maybe no-one at the Allanbank at the time?) and was infamous not just for being the only occasion it was held there but also because during Tom Scott’s vote of thanks to the artistes, the bar went on fire and we had to evacuate the building. Fergie lost his wallies in the ensuing melee!

The Club’s Centenary Supper was held in the Allanbank in 1989.

The Club was honoured in 1970 when Dan McIldowie was appointed President of the World Federation of Burns Clubs. During his year in office he travelled the world including to Australia and New Zealand to attend Burns Suppers and represent the Federation.

Archives

I have had the wonderful opportunity of looking and photographing some documents for the heritage of our club.

First up for viewing was the agenda and menu for the supper of 1934! It is great to see the array of speakers and recitations that were on offer that January night 75 years ago. The supper is now always the first Friday in February. It is also interesting to look at the menu - Haggis or Cold Roast Beef! Don’t let anyone tell you “it wouldnae have happened in my day!”

Second viewing was a membership card – more of a booklet really - for the club – belonging to one R.L. Cooper, who paid 2/6d for the pleasure of being a member in 1931/32. On the inside of the front cover it lists the Honorary President – Col. Dawson; The President – Major Falconar-Stewart; The Vice President – J. Calder Esq.; Treasurer – Mr W MacFarlane; and the Hon Secretary – Mr W.L. Nicholson. Underneath lists a committee of seven. The next pages contain the constitution and 12 rules of the club as they were 78 years ago! Interesting reading indeed.

Finally I looked through with awe and wonder at the “Words and Phrase Concordance to the Poems and Songs of Robert Burns” – printed by Robert Anderson of 22 Ann Street Glasgow in 1889. It was compiled and edited by J.B Reid M.A & Co. Who from what I can establish worked for Kerr & Richardson of 89 Queen Street, Glasgow.

According to the preface “there are over six hundred distinct pieces in his songs and poems and the difficulty of verifying a quotation, finding a phrase, a happy expression or the exact words of a passage is further augmented by the hopeless character of the index to any “edition” that may be possessed”.

This concordance is a remarkable piece of work in itself. There are now fewer than 11,400 words and 52,000 quotations. Some interesting notes are that this copy signed by J.M. Reid – not sure if this is a relation of the Author – is dated Braco 1939 and it still has the binding tabs in it along with some of the paged uncut. Usually this indicates that this was not a sale copy but a printers/binders draft.

All in all a very pleasurable experience to read of our predecessors – cronies – antics, toils and tasting of fine fare. I have added the photos to the website for you pleasure and please do get in touch if you have any more that would illuminate the past for us.

For and on behalf of the Committee
March 2009.

these photos can be seen in the gallery section Archive