Burns Centenary Procession, participants on horseback

A sepia toned monochrome photographic print on a cabinet card by James White of Dumfries and Moniaive from the album of a local family.   The first centenary of Robert Burns death was marked on the 21st July 1896. The centenary of the poet's birth in 1859 had been a memorable occasion for the townspeople of Dumfries and the events of 1896 were no less imposing.   The organisers included Sir Robert Threshie Reid MP, later Lord Loreburn who was President of Dumfries Burns Club and the Earl of Rosebery. Joseph Johnstone Glover, the Provost of Dumfries was chairman of the organising committee. Lord Rosebery took a leading role in the days proceedings and  delivered "a memorable oration on the Bard".   Cabinet cards were almost always made from studio portraits, this is unusual in that it is taken out of doors. 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 1890s when they were already being replaced in popularity by enlarged studio portraits and photographic postcards.