About Our Club
Kirsten Tomlinson
President My association with the Montrose Burns Club began in 2023, when I was invited to be the first woman to attend their annual Burns Supper, and to present the ‘Reply Frae the Lassies’, an incredible honour, and an invitation which I was absolutely delighted to accept! In 2024, I attended the Supper along with several other ladies, and later that year I was again invited to present the ‘Reply Frae the Lassies’ in January 2025, and of course, I accepted with enthusiasm! A couple of weeks later, I received a phone call from our 2025 secretary, Dave Ramsay, inviting me to take on the role as the first female Vice President of MBC. I had no hesitation in saying yes, and a wonderful, busy year followed, starting immediately with the organisation of the 2026 Burns Supper. I was commissioned by the Club to paint the replica and repaint the original Turk’s Head plaque as part of Montrose Burns Club’s ongoing Burns Trail project, more information about which can also be found on our website. The presentation of these plaques took place in Montrose Museum, where the annual Burns exhibition is also displayed every January.I am indebted to to all our MBC 2025 committee for all their help and support during my year as Vice President, and for helping me to organise the 2026 Supper.Sincere thanks to Fïnn and Louis Shiels, our wonderful young pipers from Lathallan School, Ross Thomson, who addressed the haggis with his usual aplomb, Dr Moira Hansen for her informed and interesting presentation of the Immortal Memory, Dave Ramsay for his entertaining Auld Scotia, Matthew Tomlinson for his beautiful singing and piano accompaniment of ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ and ‘My Love is Like a Red Red Rose ‘, and leading us all in our enthusiastic community song, ‘Killiecrankie’, John Tomlinson for his respectful recitation of ‘The Rights of Woman’ and Tom and Joan Murray, who had the entire room ringing with laughter at their wonderfully entertaining Toast to and Reply Frae the Lassies! We were especially delighted to welcome so many ladies at the Supper this year; a trend which we hope will continue! I was so proud of all our top table guests, performers and speakers, who pulled out all the stops to make it an evening to remember! In February, I was invited to be one of the judges for the Maisondieu Primary School annual Burns Poetry and Creative Arts Competition, which I thoroughly enjoyed! The standard was so high, it made our decision making particularly difficult, and we wished we could have awarded them all with certificates!I’m absolutely loving being involved with Montrose Burns Club, and am so grateful to everyone for extending me such a warm welcome.Kirsten
Latest Burns Project
A new Burns memorial cairn was built in 2023 the cairn provides a safe home for the original plaque. the cairn pays tribute to Adam Christie, a patient at Sunnyside, who carved a stone plaque in 1930 to commemorate the spot where Burns stopped to water his horse in 1787 as well as containing a new sculpture done in the style of Adam Christie
Montrose Burns Club Overview
Scotland’s greatest poet, Robert Burns born on 25th January 1759, startled the world with a little book of verse in 1786. He then went on to write song after song, verse upon verse and made his name immortal throughout the world.
- He visited Montrose and surrounding areas to visit relatives in the Fatherland (Aberdeenshire). Relatives of Burns lived in the town and one of his cousins stayed in Bow Butts and another at 186 High Street
- A club commemorating the works and heritage of our national bard has been in existence in Montrose since 1909 when the first Festival was held by Montrose Burns Club (MBC) in the Central Hotel, Montrose and chaired by our inaugural president, Mr R.J. Muir H.M.I.S.
- Early festivals in Montrose were held in the Central and the Star hotels. In more recent times our festival has been held in the Park Hotel. Our annual festival (Burns supper) attracts on average 100 members.
- Our club is a not-for-profit organisation and is constituted.
- Our club is affiliated to the Robert Burns World Federation (RBWF) – Federation number 242.
- MBC shares the pride of all Montrosians in our fine statue of Robert Burns which was erected in 1912 and unveiled by Andrew Carnegie.
- Burns visited Montrose when he travelled down through the town from Stonehaven and then onwards to Arbroath in September 1787. More detail on his visit to our area is contained in our Robert Burns Trail on this website.
- Prior to 2022 MBC only had official positions for President, Senior Vice President, Junior Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. There was no focal point for collating club records, documents and artefacts collected over the years.
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In 2022 we created a position of Archivist and Past President Graeme Newton was elected to this post. Now MBC has an archivist, Graeme is collating any club records/documents and artefacts. The role has expanded to now cover our new website and the Robert Burns Trail in the North East. So if there is any artifacts or any relevant information out there, please reach out through our website contact details and we will gladly get in touch.
The 1909 Montrose Burns Club Menu for First Burns Supper at Central Hotel
2023 Annual Festival
2023 Toast List
