PEACOCKS AND ROBERT BURNS

Around 1781,Burns, moved by his deep attachment to Eliza Gebbie and his anxious desire to find himself in a position to marry her if she would finally accept his suit, formed the plan of going to Irvine to learn the flax dressing business. Robert and Gilbert Burns rented land from their father and grew flax. He went to the Glasgow Vennel in Irvine and with his partner Peacock learned the trade of 'heckling'. It was a sensible scheme but ended in failure.
Eliza did not respond to his advances and his partner 'Peacock' defrauded him.
" My partner was a scoundrel of the first water who made money by the mystery of thieving; and to finish the whole, while we were given a welcoming carousel to the New Year, our shop, by the drunken carelessness of my partners wife, took fire and was burnt to ashes; and left me like a true poet, not worth a sixpence"

It is thought that Peacock's name was Alexander or Samuel, the old parish register for Irvine has the only Peacock, Samuel Peacock and his spouse Agnes McDowgal. However it is likely that Alexander Peacock who married Agnes McDowall in Neilston and had children there in 1772 and 1774 was his partner. Alexander Peacock had a house in the Glasgow Vennel opposite Bog Ha'( which belonged to a maltster named Joseph Francis). In the yard of Peacock's house stood the
heckling shop. Above this shed was a loft where Burns lived until he found better lodgings farther down the vennel.                                                       Burns partner Peacock was said to be a relative of his mother.The only known possible link is to Burns' maternal grandfather (a Brown).His grandfather was married for a second time to Margaret Blain in Kirkoswald, Ayrshire, 1744. As Burns was born in 1759 he would not have known his grandmother who died before his birth.There is a record of a Jennet Peacock marrying John Blain in Barr, Ayrshire, 1752. There may be a connection between these Blains but as yet there is no conclusive proof.

MARY PEACOCK AND CLARINDA

A second and unconnected Peacock was mentioned in letters written by Burns around the time his love Clarinda (Agnes McLehose) returned to Scotland from Jamaica. Mary Peacock was a friend of 'Clarinda'  who later became the second wife of James Gray, a master in the High School, Edinburgh. Burns, in in a letter to 'Clarinda' of 29th.January 1788, referred to Mary as a charming girl, and highly worthy of the noblest love'. Burns wrote her several times, the third being on 6th.December 1792, the anniversary of his parting with 'Clarinda'. Writing to 'Clarinda' during March 1793, he mentioned his letters to Mary Peacock: 'There is a fatality attends Miss Peacock's correspondence and mine. Two of my letters, it seems, she never received; and her last, which came when I was in Ayrshire, was unfortunately mislaid, and only found about ten days or a fortnight ago, on removing a desk of drawers'.
In another of his letters to 'Clarinda', Burns describes Miss Peacock as " indeed, a good soul; ....... she has," he adds," reconciled me, in a good measure, to the world with her friendly prattle".
Chambers said she died in India, childless.
From 'The Burns Encyclopedia'

                                                         BURNS COTTAGE

Next Page on Burns connection.
Return to home page.
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1