The Montrose Cousins of Robert Burns.

The Burnes/Burness Family Part 3

By Iain D. McIntosh

James Burnes (III) 1780 to 1852

Known locally in the town at that time as simply Provost Burnes, he married Elizabeth Glegg on the 22nd April 1800, she was the daughter of Adam Glegg a merchant burgess and former Provost of Montrose. They had nine sons and six daughters. As a young man James was apprenticed to his father and studied law, becoming a solicitor. He became Dean of the Guildry incorporation and entered the town council as a councillor on the 11th December 1817, on the 23rd September 1818, he was elected chief magistrate (Provost, the Scottish equivalent of ‘Mayor’).

After an interval of four years, he was again re-elected provost in September 1824 he left that office on the 2nd February 1825 and was appointed as a joint Town Clerk. He had a deep interest in municipal affairs and exposed the abuses of the old burgh system whereby the old council elected the new council without any mandate or vote from the local citizens. He was described as ‘a father of Scottish Burgh reform’ when he supported the move for elected council members. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for Forfarshire, this in recognition of his public services, it is said that ‘he was held in high esteem for his upright conduct, his great humour, and generosity of disposition.” James Burness owned a large house which stood in a street called the BOW BUTTS in Montrose. (This house still exists, though now in a very run down and dilapidated state.)

Of James’s nine sons, five became active freemasons, three (James, Adam and David) were members of Lodge St Peter and two (Alexander and Charles) became honorary members).

James Burnes (IV) - Chevalier James Burnes, 1801 to 1862

Born in Montrose in 1801 and oldest son of Provost James Burnes, he began his education at Montrose Academy, then went to study medicine at Edinburgh University and on to Guy’s and St Thomas’s Hospital in London. With the help of his father's friend Joseph Hume, he signed up as an assistant surgeon with the East India Company and sailed for India in 1821, during the voyage he was accompanied by his younger brother Alexander, who was also enlisting as an ensign in a Company Regiment. In 1825 he was appointed Surgeon to the British residency in Cutch, followed the army into the Province of Scinde, and remained there for several months, while he was there he wrote ‘A narrative of a visit to the Court of Scinde’, published 1831, comprising a sketch of the History of Cutch. ‘ He was forced by illness to leave in 1833 and embarked for Europe taking the difficult overland route through India and the Middle East to Malta, Sicily, Naples, Rome, Geneva and Paris.

When he returned to Britain he was created a doctor of Law at Glasgow University, a fellow of the Royal Society in London, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and was also presented to the Royal Court by his friend the Earl of Dalhousie, (Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland 1804-1805), he was created a Knight of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order which gave him the title of ‘Chevalier’

He joined the ‘Benevolent Lodge (E.C.) in India sometime prior to 1834, when he returned home to Montrose he was made an honorary member of Lodge St Peter (August 1834) this on the same day as his two younger brothers Charles and David joined the Lodge. Charles became a lieutenant in the 17th Native Infantry and was killed with his brother Alexander in Kabul in 1841 (see below) and David became a surgeon in the Royal Navy. In April 1835 James became a member of Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No. 2, he witnessed the initiation of James Hogg the Ettrick Shepherd into the Lodge in May 1835. In September 1836 James was elected Master of Lodge St Peter in Montrose although he only held this office for three months as the Grand Lodge of Scotland had appointed him the Provincial Grand Master of the Western Provinces of India. Early in 1838 he convened a meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge under the Scottish Constitution. He appointed his Brother, Captain Alexander Burnes, Envoy to Kabul as one of the Wardens, also his youngest brother Lieutenant Charles Burnes, 17th Native Infantry. Other Provincial Grand Lodge office bearers were distinguished members of the civil and military administration in Bombay.

The most difficult and saddest period in his life in India was hearing of the news of the murders of his brothers Sir Alexander and Charles in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1841, this at the opening of the first Anglo/Afghan War. James withdrew into himself for many months

The first Scottish Lodges to be instituted in India did not happen until 1842/43 when first Lodge Hope, Karachi, Scinde was warranted in April 1842 and then in December 1842 the members of Lodge Perseverance under the English Constitution petitioned James Burnes to constitute them a Lodge under the Scottish Craft. In January 1843 Burnes as Provincial Grand Master laid the foundation stone of the JAMSETJEE JEEJEEBHOY Hospital in Bombay, this ceremony led to the foundation of the first Lodge in India to receive ‘under certain circumstances the native gentlemen of India’. Up until this time only Christian, British and European men were admitted into the brotherhood of Freemasonry. Chevalier James Burnes, Scottish Provincial Grand Master changed all that by establishing Lodge Rising Star of Western India in December 1843 with Burnes as its first Master. At the first meeting of the lodge they admitted a ‘Parsee’ and a ‘Mahommedan’. Others who joined in its early days were – a Zoroastrian, two Confucians and four Muslims – all meeting in ‘Brotherly Love’.

Burnes was re-elected Master in 1844 and the Lodge struck a special medal. He also consecrated Lodge St Andrew’s in the East at Poona in 1844 and they presented him with a “Knights Cross of the Guelphic Order’ enriched with brilliants, this as a mark of their esteem”. In return Burnes presented them with a bible. In 1846 he was promoted to the post of Superintending Surgeon of the Bombay Army, and Provincial Grand Master of the “Three Presidencies in India & Aden”. The Indian Lodges on the departure of Chevalier Burns from India in 1849 struck medals for “The encouragement of learning and good conduct in the Grant Medical College, the Byculla Schools in India and also Montrose Academy”, Montrose Academy, James Burnes’s old school in Scotland. Today, one hundred and sixty years after he left India the Burnes ‘Dux’ medal is still being presented at Montrose Academy. Chevalier James Burnes died on the 19th September 1862 in Manchester.

Lodge Rising Star of India

Lodge Rising Star of Western India completed its first year successfully with 50 members on its roll, and resolved to reinstall Bro. Dr. James Burnes as its Master for the second time, which was done in the presence of two distinguished visitors from overseas, namely, The Marquis de Farriere La Voyar, French Ambassador enroute to China, and Viscount Sandall. The Lodge resolved in 1844 to commemorate its foundation, and to express its sense of gratitude to its founder, Bro. Dr. James Burnes by striking a Medal known as the Fundators or Burnes Medal.

It was struck in pure silver and executed by the famous artist R. Wyon, in London. On the obverse it bears a bust effigy of Right Worshipful Brother Dr. James Burnes, surrounded by the inscription "Frat Insig et dilect Jacobus Burnes fundator" meaning - James Burnes, Founder, distinguished and beloved brother. On the reverse are the full size effigies of Brothers Maneckji Cursetji and Mahomed Jaffer, each clothed in the full dress of their community, and with an apron and ribbon of the Order, and wearing the jewel of their office, and bearing a banner in their hand, standing near a pedestal on which are placed two volumes of the Sacred Law and a jewel, at the foot of which are the working tools, and behind which is a palm tree. On the pedestal appears the inscription "Lodge Rising Star at Bombay". On the rim is the inscription "Founded for the reception of native gentlemen Dec 15. 1843". The diameter of the medal is 45mm, and it weighs 37 grams. The Lodge has always highly prized this Medal, and has presented it sparingly to great and distinguished Masons, who are not members of the Lodge, as a token of great esteem and respect of the Lodge for them.

The Masonic Knights Templar

Dr James Burnes is credited with reviving the Masonic Order of Knights Templar when he published a 'Sketch of the History of the Knights Templar' in 1837. This book was dedicated to 'His Royal Highness, Prince Augustus Frederic, Duke of Sussex, K.G. &c., P.R.S., Grand Prior of England.
For the first time the origin of the of the alleged Scottish connection between the Medieval order of the K.T. and Modern Freemasonry can be pinpointed with accuracy. James Burnes' book consists of 61 pages . An Introduction and Chapters on the 1) The Hospitallers, 2) The Knights Templar, 3)The Persecution of the Templars, 4) The Continuation of the Order, 5) The Knights Templar in Scotland and an Appendix containing the Bull of Pope Clement V and the obligations of the Masonic K.T. (both in Latin).
For the full text of the book and James Burnes involvement with reviving the Masonic Knights Templar can be found in Robert L.D. Cooper's excellent book - 'The Rosslyn Hoax'.

Sir Alexander Burness

Brother to Chevalier James Burnes, and like the rest of his brothers was educated at Montrose Academy, Alexander left Montrose a few weeks before his 16th birthday in 1821, he sailed to London on a Dundee smack, there, his father’s good friend, Joseph Hume M.P., an influential politician helped him to obtain a cadetship of infantry with the East India Company, Hume became his mentor – and banker. Whilst in London Alexander also studied the Hindu and Persian languages, in June of 1821, along with his older brother James, who had been appointed an assistant surgeon with the Army at Bombay, they sailed for India.

In India Alexander made steady progress in his military career, and with the right letters of introduction from his father’s friends he made useful contacts with the civil and military leaders of the East India Company. He continued with his studies of the Hindu and Persian languages, always using them to communicate with his servants, he also learned the laws, manners, customs and religions of India, often dressing up in the manner and custom of the natives.
In 1822 Alexander, still only an Ensign, became an interpreter with the 11th Native Infantry stationed at Poona, later moving to Surat, with the rank of lieutenant and adjutant of the 21st regiment on 500-600 rupees per month (approx 50-60 guineas), by that time he had truly mastered the Indian and Persian languages and accompanied the army across the Indus river into the independent Province of Scinde.

Alexander also became interested in surveying the geography of the Indus valley, compiling maps of passes and routes, very useful for army use, his activities and knowledge earned him promotion to the Quarter Master General’s department on 1000 rupees a month, in 1828 he became assistant Quarter master general of the Army. He volunteered to explore and map the entire Indus valley from the Punjab down to the Ocean, this he started in 1829, however he had to abandon this work half way through, due the local Indian leaders becoming suspicious of his activities and a possible expansion of British India into their independent lands.
His appetite for exploration and adventure had been whetted and he wanted to explore more into the unknown parts of India, in this he was supported by the Governor, Sir John Malcolm. Burnes now had great ambitions and plans, he admitted as much in a letter home to his parents in Montrose, he told them that he wanted to cross the Indus, pass through, Afghanistan, visit Bahlk, Bokhara, Samarkand and thence onto the Arabian and Caspian Seas and into Persia itself.
The British government in India had become worried about the territorial gains and the growing influence of Tsarist Russia into Afghanistan and threatening British India. Information, intelligence and knowledge of Russian activities in the area was desperately needed, also maps of the routes and passes and geography of the country. Burnes wrote to his sister in 1831 with the lines – “the government have got frightened by the designs of Russia and desired some intelligence officer should be sent to acquire information on the countries bordering on the Oxus and Caspian”.

Alexander was enthusiastic to return to Afghanistan, also he had a very personal ambition – “to follow in the footsteps of another, Great, Alexander”. His fluency with the languages, his knowledge of the customs and laws of India, and his ability to dress like a native, made him the ideal man to undertake this task. To conceal his true intentions and mission he was to use the excuse that he was simply travelling home to Scotland and wanted to see and follow the route Alexander the Great had used and to see the wonders of the country, also, of course he had the added advantage of having the same first name, becoming known during his travels as ‘Secunder’ Burnes.
Alexander Burnes, native of Montrose, was one of the first Britons to play a part in a dangerous game between Britain and Russia in Afghanistan – ‘The Great Game’, a name first coined by Arthur Connolly an intelligence officer and then made famous by Rudyard Kipling. Also another one of the great story writers of the 20th Century was George Macdonald Fraser who used the adventures and exploits of Alexander Burnes in his ‘Flashman’ novels.

At the beginning of January 1832, dressed in native attire and accompanied by three companions, a young assistant surgeon and two native assistants, Alexander Burnes crossed the Indus River, over the frontier of British India and into Afghanistan. He found the Afghans cheery, simple minded, kind hearted, and hospitable, they had no hostility or resentment towards the British, he found Cabool (Kabul) ‘truly a paradise’ he was well received and made friends with the local chiefs, especially Dost Mahommed, the Ameer of Kabul. Leaving Kabul he travelled into the Hindu-Kush to Balkh and then on to ‘Holy Bokhara’, after that to the Caspian Sea and onwards to Tehran in Persia.
When he returned to Bombay he gave a report of his travels to the Governor-General Lord Auckland. His knowledge and experiences of Afghanistan were vital to Auckland’s plans for central Asia, the ‘Great Game’ was in motion and Alexander Burnes became a key player.
Alexander Burnes was sent home to Britain in November 1833 and received a hero’s welcome and received at the court of King William IV. He also published a book on his exploits – ‘Travels to Bokhara’, this earned him the title ‘Bokhara Burnes’.
The narrative of his journey was immediately translated into French and German; he was elected a member of the Royal Asiatic Society, and of the Royal Geographical Society; and presented with the gold medal, and royal premium of fifty guineas, for “The Navigation of the Indus, and a Journey by Balkh and Bokhara across Central Asia.” During a visit to Paris, he was welcomed with general enthusiasm as one of the most talented and adventurous of modern travellers and presented with the silver medal of the French Geographical Society.

He returned to India in 1835 and by 1837 he had been knighted by King William IV for his services in Afghanistan and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was chosen by the Governor-General to go on another mission to Kabul to help establish a “commercial mission” in the country and to counter the Russian influence. There he found matters serious, his friend the Ameer, Dost Mahomet had been trying to maintain a position of independence from Persia and Russia. To complicate matters the East India Company had also sent a British Army into Afghanistan, to help with establishing this ‘commercial’ enterprise, and also to install a British supporting rival on the throne of Kabul – ‘Shah Soojah’ – and removing the reigning Ameer Dost Mahomod. This was a disastrous move by the British the Afghans rose in rebellion, besieged the British troops in Kabul. The house in which Alexander Burnes lived was surrounded and he along with his younger brother Charles and other aides were killed, the first victims in the first Anglo/Afghan War. The British force was forced to withdraw from Afghanistan, in doing so the entire force was progressively annihilated, first at Gandamark and then in the Bolan Pass. Out of a force of approx 3,500 British and Indian soldiers and 12,000 camp followers, only one man, a doctor, made it back to the British Fort at Jellalabad.

Alexander Burnes first joined The Benevolent Lodge No 746 (E.C.), at some time between 1828 and 1834. When he returned home in Montrose in 1834 he was made an honorary member of Lodge St Peter No 120, and as mentioned above was made a Warden of the Provincial Grand Lodge of the Western Provinces of India in 1838.
Sir Alexander was never married, and was survived by his parents and three brothers. Besides his “Travels into Bokhara,” and several papers in the “Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London,” he was author of a work, entitled, “Cabool; being a Narrative of a Journey to, and Residence in that City, in the Years 1836-7-8,” which was published after his death.

Mohan Lal

During his many travels and exploits he was accompanied by his friend, secretary and companion Mohan Lal, a well-educated Indian who later converted to Islam. After the death of Sir Alexander and his brother Charles in Kabul, Mohun Lal had ‘at the risk of his life entered Sir Alexander's mansion when it was in flames and secured his private papers’, he then travelled to Scotland to return them to Burnes's family in Montrose. The newspaper report of the time said: ‘He has a remarkably pleasant and highly intellectual cast of countenance and is dressed in a magnificent Hindoo costume.’ It is because of this man that the papers and journals of Sir Alexander Burnes’s adventures and exploits are available for historians and are at present lodged in the Montrose Museum.
This then is the story of the Mearns and Montrose family branches of Robert Burns, up to the middle of the 19th Century. A part of the Robert Burns story which few people know about – or indeed realise exists, of where his father William Burness and his forebears came from, the lives they led, their exploits and adventures, and where they now lie in peace, and finally down to Alexander and Charles Burnes who died in the first British involvement in Afghanistan in 1841, a place where we are still involved 160 years on.

In Conclusion

There are still many other inter-related connections, links, stories and Masonic involvements with the cousins of Robert Burns and other notable figures in Scottish and English Freemasonry which have come to light during the course of this research, and which have sown the seeds for future stories. I sincerely hope that the Robert Burns historians and fans find this part of the great story of Scotland’s bard interesting and help to take that story back along the timeline to where his ancestors came from and out along the other branches of the family line.