Letter from John Syme to Alexander Cunningham, 17 July 1796
![](https://ciim-data.nts.org.uk/media/iiif/3/pf%2F2%2F1%2F39%2F657%2FNTSBRNp06503.ptif/full/!640,640/0/default.jpg)
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/04/480
- Alt. number
- 3.6084.i
- Date
- 17 July 1796
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Syme, John (Author)
- Recipient
- Cunningham, Alexander
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/04/480
- Alt. number
- 3.6084.i
- Date
- 17 July 1796
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Syme, John (Author)
- Recipient
- Cunningham, Alexander
Description
Letter from John Syme to Alexander Cunningham, dated Dumfries, 17 July 1796.
30 letters from Cunningham to John Syme, dated between 20th July,1796, and 5th May, 1797; letter from Earl of Buchan to Cunningham, dated "4th August, 1796"; portraits and illustrations and other papers.
The Edinburgh lawyer Alexander Cunningham (1763 - 1812) met Burns when he travelled to the Scottish capital. The two became live-long friends with much correspondence travelling between them. Following Burns's death, Cunningham led the effort to raise funds to support the remaining Burns family.
John Syme (1755 - 1831) was a Collector of Stamps in the Excise and became a friend of Burns when the family moved to Dumfries in 1791. He visited Burns at Brow Well on 15 July 1796 and again a few days later in Dumfries, where he was horrified at his friend's deteriorated condition. After Burns' death a few days later, Syme and Dr Maxwell organised his funeral. Syme also worked with Cunningham in raising money to help support Burns' widow Jean and remaining children.
Archive information
Place of creation
Themes
Hierarchy
-
Correspondence and other documents relating to Robert Burns
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- Letter from John Syme to Alexander Cunningham, 17 July 1796
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