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His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Dear Sir
     I have much pleasure in acknowlwedging the receipt of your letter of the 25th Inst. intimating my election as an Honorary Member of "The Irvine Burns Club.
     The past kindness and consideration of the Club in continuing the appointment of Hony. Treasurer in my family; as also, the Extract from the Records of the Club I received on my resignation of the Treasurership, are very gratifying to my feelings; and conjoined with this later honourable mark of distinction just conferred upon me, evoke my sincere and heartfelt thanks. With kindest regards for the welfare, and continued prosperity of the Club,
     I remain
     Yours very faithfully
     A. Longmuir

The letter is addressed to James Dickie, Esq., Hon. Secy., The Irvine Burns Club

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Dear Sir,
     I thank you for your kind letter of the 19th in which you inform me that I have been elected a member of the Irvine Burns' Club and I beg that you will express my thanks to the members of the club for their kindness in electing me.
     Yours truly,
     Kelvin

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Dear Sir,
     Mr Hall Caine is spending the winter on the Continent, and will not be back for a month at least, but he will have your letter immediately on his return.
     I need hardly add that Mr Caine will be very sensible of the honour your Club has done him.
     Yours faithfully
     A. J. Phillips

The letter, being just a note, is typed. No subsequent letter is in the files.

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Dear Sir,
     I am desired by Lord Wolseley to thank you very much for the honor you have done him in making him an Honorary Member of the 'Irvine Burns' Club.
     ffy yours,
     George H Gough, Col.
     P.S.

The War Office address is embossed, so does not appear on photocopies. The paper also bears the seal of Commander-in-Chief.

ffy = faithfully
P.S. = Private Secretary

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Dear Sir,
     I shall be very much favoured if you will kindly convey my warm thanks to the members of the Irvine Burns Club for the honour they have conferred upon me, in electing me an honorary member of their well-known Club. It is a distinction which is highly valued and appreciated by me. I only regret that distance, and much occupation, prevents me from making the personal acquaintance of the members of the Club and from sharing their enjoyment of the national treasures you mention in your letter.
    It may interest them to know that I have myself contributed to Burns (musical) literature by writing two orchestral Scottish Rhapsodies, the second and larger of which (entitled "Burns") has been played a good deal in other countries than our own.
     With repeated thanks for your welcome conmmunication and sincere wishes for the welfare of the Club.
     Believe me
     Dear Sir
     Very faithfully yours
     A. C. Mackenzie

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Sir,
     I highly appreciate the honour of being elected an Honorary Member of the Irvine Burns Club, and offer my best thanks to the Members & to your Secy for your kindness in so electing me.
     Yours faithfully
     Archibald Hunter

The headed paper bears the crest of the Naval and Military Club.

His life & work:

Alfred Ainger was educated at King's College, London, and at the University of Cambridge. After ordination, he became a reader at Temple Church in London in 1864, where he later became preacher. In 1887, he was appointed Canon of Bristol Cathedral, but kept up his connection with Temple Church, and was appointed Master of the Temple in 1894.

In 1895 he was appointed honorary chaplain to Queen Victoria, becoming her chaplain-in-ordinary a year later. He also became chaplain to King Edward VII.

Ainger was a popular lecturer and preacher, and his other main interest was literature. His major work was on the life and works of the essayist Charles Lamb (1775-1834). In 1882, he contributed the volume on Lamb to Macmillan's "English Men of Letters" series. Then, in 1883, he produced his major edition of Lamb's works, 'The Life and Works of Charles Lamb'; a copy of the de-luxe edition of 1899-1900 was recently (California, 1998) valued at $10,000.

Ainger contributed to literary discussions of his day on other writers, including in the 'Spectator' (1884), in the Wordsworth Society's journal 'Wordsworthiana' (1889), and in the journal 'Athenaeum' on a Shakespearian topic (1899). From his letter to Irvine Burns Club, he had clearly also written or spoken on Burns. Macmillan's English Men of Letters series also included Ainger's booklet (1903) on narrative poet George Crabbe (1754-1832), and he wrote the preface for the volume of 'Humorous Poems' by Thomas Hood (1893).

Like Tennyson (hon. member 1863) and others of our honorary members, Ainger was a friend of Irvine-born publisher Macmillan. This connection may explain his nomination by the Club.

My dear Sir
     I have to acknowledge with sincere thanks, and true gratification, your letter telling me of the honour conferred upon me by the Irvine Burns Club. I am the more pleased I cannot fail to connect their kind action with some recent public utterances of mine upon the great Poet from whom they take their name. It is a rare thing, I fancy, for an Englishman's estimate of Burns to be thought worthy of notice by a body of Scotsmen - Perhaps I may claim to be allowed to sympathise with the admirers of Burns in his own country, because I was taught from my early boyhood to love the beauty and the moral teaching of much of Burns' poetry, when he was in his wise and sound mind. I well remember my father telling me that the finest plea for Christian charity ever uttered was in the words
          "What's done we partly may compute
          But know not what's resisted."
     Your town has been, in its name at least, a household word with me for many years. My oId friend Alexander Macmillan, the publisher now gone to his rest, was (I think) a kinsman of yours - & also my dear friend, still happily living, Professor Jack of Glasgow.
     With renewed thanks, I remain, dear Sir,
     Yours faithfully
     Alfred Ainger

The lines quoted are the last two lines of Burns' "Address to the Unco Guid".

The Alexander Macmillan was the London publisher of Ainger's work; being of an Irvine family, Macmillan was granted the freedom of the Burgh of Irvine in 1870.

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Sir,
     I have to thank you for your letter of recent date, in which you intimate that the members of the Irvine Burns Club have been good enough to elect me as an Honorary Member of that Club, and I would ask you to convey to the Members my appreciatiuon of the motives which have prompted their action.
     I have read with much interest the list of the Poet's holograph manuscripts which the Club are so fortunate as to have in their possession.
     I am, Sir,
     Very faithfully Yours,
     Balfour of Burleigh

The letter is addressed to James Dickie, Esq., Hon. Secy., Irvine Burns Club.

His life & work:

Until we do the biography, this story from Ellen Terry will encapsulate the character of this editor, from 1880 to 1906 (knighted in 1902), of 'Punch' magazine:

"One of the liveliest guests was Sir Francis Burnand--who entirely contradicted the theory that professional comedians are always the most gloomy of men in company.

A Sunday evening with the Burnand family at their home in The Bottoms was a treat Henry Irving and I often looked forward to - a particularly restful, lively evening. I think a big family - a "party" in itself - is the only "party" I like. Some of the younger Burnands have greatly distinguished themselves, and they are all perfect dears, so unaffected, kind, and genial.

Sir Francis never jealously guarded his fun for 'Punch'. He was always generous with it. Once when my son had an exhibition of his pictures, I asked Mr. Burnand, as he was then, to go and see it or send someone on Mr. Punch's staff. He answered characteristically!

"WHITEFRIARS, London, E.C.

"My dear Ellen Terry,

"Delighted to see your hand - wish your face were with it' (Shakespeare).

"Remember me (Shakespeare again - 'Hamlet') to our Sir Henry. May you both live long and prosper!

"GORDON CRAIG'S PICTURES

He opens his show
A day I can't go.
Any Friday
Is never my day.

But I'll see his pictures
(Praise and no strictures)
'Ere this day week;
Yet I can't speak
Of them in print
(I might give a hint)
Till each on its shelf
I've seen for myself.
I've no one to send.
Now I must end.
None I can trust,
So go I must.
Yours most trulee
V'la F.C.B.
All well here,
All send love.
Likewise misses
Lots of kisses.
From all in this 'ere shanty
To you who don't play in Dante!

What a pity!
Whuroo-oo
Oo-oo-oo!"

With appreciation to fullbooks.com for publishing this gem.

Dear Sir,
     Pray thank the Committee & Members of the Irvine Burns Club for the honour they have done me.
     I hope that good fortune will bring me to Irvine in the summer time when [I hope] to make personally the acquaintance of my fellow-members honorary & dis-honorary - no that doesn't sound well - honorary and honourable that's better - & to see the works - the good works - you mention as in the Club's possession.
     I remain sincerely
     F C Burnand

F C Burnand's handwriting style matches the flourish of his wit, and his thoughts seem to have outpaced his words as he sped to the top of the second page.

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Sir,
     I hasten to acknowledge the receipt of your kind communication of the 27th of January, and I can assure you that I feel greatly honoured by the members of the Irvine Burns Club having elected me an Honorary Member. I am sure there is no one amongst them who can be a warmer admirer of Burns than myself, and the Club is indeed to be congratulated on possessing such priceless treasures as the manuscripts of the poet which you commemorate.
     I have the honour to be, Sir,
     Your obedient Servant
     Dufferin and Ava

The letter, on his crested notepaper, is hand-written.

Today's Clandeboye Golf Club has two courses, named Dufferin and Ava!

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Dear Sir,
     Mr Rudyard Kipling, as you perhaps know, had sailed for S. Africa before your letter came, announcing that the Irvine Burns Club had elected him as an Hon. Member, but I shall let him know the contents of your letter by next mail.
     I am Sir
     Faithfully yours
     S. Anderson
     Secy

The letter is to J A S Dickie, Esq., the Club's Hon. Secy at the time.

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Dear Sir,
     I have the greatest pleasure in acknowledging & accepting the honour done me by the Irvine Burns Club of which I shall be proud to call myself Honorary Member.
     Pray convey my thanks to the members
     & believe me
     yours faithfully
     A. Conan Doyle

His headed writing paper includes, as often in those days, the address for telegrams, in his case Grayshott. An email address would perhaps be today's equivalent.

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Gentlemen
     I am indeed proud in accepting the “Honorary Membership” of the Club, so kindly conferred on me, and with the best of thanks, and the fullest appreciation of the courteous and – I fear – all too flattering terms in which the announcement has been made known to me. I have the honour to be, gentlemen,
     Very faithfully yours
     John Tenniel

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

My dear Sir,
     I beg you will convey to the members of the Irvine Burns Club my high sense of the honour which they have conferred upon me in unanimously electing me as one of their Honorary Members. I need hardly assure you that I accept the compliment paid towards me with the utmost pleasure and satisfaction.
     Yours very faithfully,
     Hopetoun

The letter is, with the exception of the signature, typed.

It is adddressed to James Dickie, Esq., Hon. Secretary

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Dear Sir
     His Excellency is much gratified at the honour accorded to him conveyed in your letter of the 18th October which informed him that the Irvine Burns Club have elected him as an honorary member.
     He very much appreciates the compliment paid to him
     Yours faithfully
     <signature unclear>
     Private Secretary
     <counter-signed> Milner

The letter is, with the exception of the signatures, typed.

The paper is embossed with a crest.

It is adddressed to Jas. Dickie, Esq., Honorary Secretary.

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Dear Sir,
     Mr Carnegie tenders his thanks for your letter of 22nd March just received and greatly appreciates the valued compliment of the Irvine Burns Club in electing him an Honorary Member.
     Respectfully yours,
     <signature unclear>
     P. Secretary.

The letter is, with the exception of the secretary's signature, typed.

It is adddressed to J. H. Dickie, Esq., Hon. Secy.

Skibo Castle was bought in 1898 for £85,000 by Carnegie, who spent a further £2 million on improvements. It stayed in the Carnegie family until 1982.

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Dear Sir,
     I am much obliged to the Irvine Burns Club for the compliment they have paid me in electing me an Hony Member. Such Clubs do much to keep alive Scottish national spirit, and I am pleased to have this honour from a town so identified with the life & memory of our great poet.
     Yours very truly
     H. Campbell-Bannerman

Belmont Castle, once the home of Campbell-Bannerman, then of Sir James Caird, the jute baron, has been a Church of Scotland residential and care home since 1931.

Although nominated in 1906, his letter is of 1907.

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

My dear Sir,
     I am deeply sensible of the honour which the Irvine Burns Club do me by electing me to be one of their Honorary Members, and I thank them sincerely for their kindness in doing so. I am, like all lovers of poetry, and as every West of Scotland man in particular ought to be, an ardent admirer of our national poet, a poet who is in a degree perhaps without any parallel, not only the national but the popular poet of his country. It is by him and by Walter Scott, more than by any other achievements Scotland can boast, that one finds Scotland known, and the name of Scotland famous, all over the world. Believe me, with renewed thanks,
     Very faithfully yours,
     James Bryce

The address is embossed, so does not appear on photocopies.

His life & work:

< biography to follow >

Dear Mr Norval Murray
     Your very kind letter reached me on Saturday, but I will not weary you by mentioning & explaining what delayed the acknowledgement till today.
     I feel greatly honoured by the resolution of the Members of the Irvine Burns’ Club to admit me a Member of the Club & accept the position with gratitude & sincere appreciation of the honour.
     Believe me to be
     Your faithful humble servant
     G Young

Mr Norval Murray was Hon. Secy of the Club at the time.

His life & work:

Sir

Dear Sir
     I regret very much that Mr Murray’s letter of 25 January 1907 should have remained unanswered. I was ill at that time which may be the cause.
     In any case I am much obliged by my admission as an honorary member of Irvine Burns Club & beg to thank the Club for the compliment.
     Yours faithfully
     Loreburn

The headed paper is embossed with the crest of the Lord Chancellor.

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