Postcard of Burns House, Dumfries

A monochrome postcard from a sepia toned photograph of the exterior of Burns House.   It was in this ordinary sandstone house in a quiet back street of Dumfries that Robert Burns spent the last three years of his life. The family moved into the house in May 1793. The house had a parlour, kitchen, two bedrooms and even a small study where Burns could write. It was well furnished with a carpet and a long case clock in the parlour.   Robert Burns died here on 21 July 1796, although his wife, Jean Armour Burns continued to live in the house until her own death in 1834. The house was purchased in 1851 by their son, Colonel William Nicol Burns and throughout the 19th Century it became a place of pilgrimage for Burns enthusiasts from around the world.   In 1935  Burns House was restored and opened as a museum. It was at this time that the external render was removed and the sandstone exterior revealed. The photograph used for this postcard has been taken shortly after this work.