Robert Burns' family members, places and mementos

A sepia toned monochrome photographic print of a montage of twenty images of people, places and objects on a cabinet card .   Robert Burns first met his wife, Jean Armour in Mauchline in 1784. The date of their marriage is unclear and their relationship was opposed by her parents, but on the third of September 1776 she gave birth to twins, Robert and Jean, the first of a family of nine children. At the time of Burns' death in 1796 there were five children living, the youngest born on the day of his father's funeral.   This montage of portraits shows Robert Burns; Jean Armour Burns with her grand daughter, Sarah; Robert Burns junior, William Nicol Burns and James Glencairn Burns, their three sons who survived into adulthood; Robert Burns, grandson of the poet; Emma Burns Brown and Jean Armour Burns Brown, granddaughter and great granddaughter and Gilbert Burns, Robert Burns' nephew.   Cabinet cards were almost always made from studio portraits, 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 1880s when they were still  very popular but some of the images are taken from earlier photographs. It was produced by W G Gibson of Dumfries.