Burns Federation Conference Delegates at Burns Mausoleum, Dumfries

A monochrome photographic print of Burns Federation members visiting the poet's grave in September 1927.   Robert Burns was originally buried in St Michael's Churchyard, Dumfries, in a simple grave, marked only by a plain stone slab. In 1803 when Dorothy and William Wordsworth visited Dumfries they had difficulty in even finding the grave. Burns' admirers came to believe that this was an insufficient memorial to the poet.   In 1813 his friend, John Syme formed a committee and launched an appeal to build a mausoleum in his memory. One of the subscribers was the Prince Regent, later George IV. The mausoleum was completed in September 1817.   The Burns Federation was founded in 1885 as an affiliation of Burns Clubs. It has published a journal, "The Burns Chronicle" since 1891, maintaining communication and stimulating interest in the Burns movement throughout the world. It still holds its conference in a different location in September of each year.