The Dundee Burns Club, instituted 1860

Press and archive

From the papers and the photo albums

The club in the news, old photographs and records held in Dundee’s collections, and our own pictures through the years. Links open the original source.

From our collection

Sepia photograph of the crowd at the unveiling of the Burns statue, the club banner raised behind
16 October 1880The unveiling of the Burns statue in Albert Square, with our banner behind.
Blue and brown silk banner reading The Dundee Burns Club, For Auld Lang Syne, Instd 1860
1880The club banner, made for the statue’s arrival. Now cared for by The McManus.
Around thirty club members in hats and overcoats posed around a bust of Burns
May 1888Club members with the banner and a bust of Burns.
Sepia portrait of David Taylor in a bowler hat
1893David Taylor, poet, trade unionist and club President.
Ink drawing of Bailie James Young Geddes
1880sBailie James Young Geddes, poet, journalist and club President.
Painted bust of Robert Burns in a red coat
TodayThe painted bust of Burns in our club rooms.
Fiddlers and singers around a table during a music session
Recent yearsMusic at the Burns Club, our Sunday afternoon session.
An audience in armchairs listening to a reading in the club room
Recent yearsStoryteller and Traveller Jess Smith reads from her book at the club.
A speaker in a tweed suit stands beneath the bust of Burns
Burns SupperDr Paul Malgrati gives the Immortal Memory beneath our bust of Burns.
A musician sings with a twelve-string guitar in front of a Saltire
In concertJonny Cormie performs at the club.
A guitarist and a keyboard player perform in the club room
Fringe at the clubHamish MacDonald and Liza Mulholland, The Not So Serious Burns Unit.
Red poster for The Not So Serious Burns Unit with two performers and a skull on books
Poster, 2025The Not So Serious Burns Unit premieres at the club, 17 August 2025.
Poster for The Best O Burns with Kevin Thompson, 26 April 2026
Poster, 2026Kevin Thompson’s The Best O’ Burns, 26 April 2026.
A singer-songwriter evening in the club rooms, beneath a portrait of Burns
Singer-songwriter nightAn evening of original songs by candlelight in the club rooms.
A guitarist plays beneath the painted bust of Burns
Singer-songwriter nightPlaying beneath the painted bust of Burns.
The President's badge and chain of office
TodayThe President’s chain of office, with a clasp for every president since 1962.
The 1884 Burns Charity Cup, topped by a ploughman and his horse, held up beneath the bust of Burns
1884The Burns Charity Cup, once a major prize in Dundee football, still in our club rooms.
Scots language author Billy Kay speaks at the lectern beneath the bust of Burns
TalksScots language author Billy Kay, who has given several talks at the club.
A guitarist is applauded by a full room at the Dundee Rebel City evening
Dundee Rebel CityA full house applauds the music at our sell-out history evening, Dundee in the Hungry Thirties.
Iain Flett plays Burns on the fiddle beneath the bust of Burns
MusicIain Flett plays Burns on the fiddle.
Club President Jimmy Black, wearing the chain of office, judges three cocktails at the club
Cocktail eveningClub President Jimmy Black enjoys judging the cocktails.
Members of Dundee's Ukrainian community and the club gathered beneath the bust of Burns
2025The club hosts Dundee’s Ukrainian community for a celebration of Burns and Ukraine’s national poet, Taras Shevchenko.
Vitalii Diakov presents the club with The Complete Kobzar, the poetry of Taras Shevchenko
August 2025Vitalii Diakov presents the club with The Complete Kobzar, the poems of Taras Shevchenko, from Dundee’s Ukrainian community.
Shona Donaldson holds an open volume showing her great-grandfather David Taylor, in front of portraits of Burns
VisitorsScots singer Shona Donaldson visits to discover more about her great-grandfather, past President David Taylor.

Programmes and posters

Nights to remember

A few of the programmes and posters from recent events at the club.

Programme for Dundee Rebel City: Dundee in the Hungry Thirties

Dundee Rebel City

A sell-out history evening on Dundee in the Hungry Thirties: Graham Ogilvy on Bob Stewart, Siobhan Tolland on Mary Brooksbank and Mike Arnott on Dundee and the Spanish Civil War, with music from Frank and Doug Chalmers.

Poster for St Andrew's Night 2025 with Eric Wooldridge, Paul Malgrati and Kevin Thompson

St Andrew’s Night 2025

Saturday 15 November 2025, with Eric Wooldridge, Paul Malgrati and Kevin Thompson.

Poster for St Andrew's Night 2024 with Eric Wooldridge, Findlay Peters and Jonny Cormie

St Andrew’s Night 2024

Saturday 30 November 2024, with Eric Wooldridge, Findlay Peters and Jonny Cormie.

Poster for the Billy Boyle Memorial Burns Supper, 26 January 2024

Billy Boyle Memorial Burns Supper

Friday 26 January 2024.

25 January 2020

Album: the 160th Burns Supper

Members and friends packed the club rooms for our 160th Annual Burns Supper, chaired by President Graham Ogilvy. Read the Immortal Memory.

Diners raise their glasses around a long supper table under a Saltire
The reporters’ table.
A long table of diners in suits in the club room
The hill-walkers’ table.
Diners smile for the camera around a supper table
The leeries’ table.
A member carries in the haggis on a platter as diners applaud
Lindsay McGregor brings in the haggis.
A piper plays beside a man at the club bar
Bill Stewart addresses the haggis.
Two men shake hands at the bar as one is presented with a gift
Lindsay McGregor thanks piper Ally Bain for 30 years’ loyal service.
A man in Highland dress sings at the club bar
George Fyffe sings McPherson’s Rant.
A speaker stands at the head of the table beside a portrait of Burns
The late Frank Chalmers gives the Immortal Memory.
A man recites with arms outstretched in the club room
Bobby Borland recites Tam o’ Shanter.
A man plays acoustic guitar among diners
Malcolm Macdonald performs Ye Banks and Braes.

In the press

The club in the news

The Victorian papers covered the club and the 1880 unveiling at length. Search the Dundee Courier and Evening Telegraph back issues at the British Newspaper Archive.

British Newspaper Archive

In other collections

Old images and records

Photographs, prints and writing about the club and the statue, held by museums, libraries and archives. These belong to their owners, so we link to them rather than copy them.

Doors Open Day 2026

Our exhibition

We made these panels for Doors Open Day in September 2026, covering the club’s history, our events, the club rooms, the statue, our poet presidents and Burns himself.

Exhibition panel: About the Club
About the club
Exhibition panel: Events
Events
Exhibition panel: The Club Rooms
The club rooms
Exhibition panel: The Statue
The statue
Exhibition panel: The Poet Presidents, David Taylor
Poet presidents: David Taylor
Exhibition panel: The Poet Presidents, James Young Geddes
Poet presidents: James Young Geddes
Exhibition panel: About Burns
About Burns

Got a cutting or an old photo?

Press cuttings, supper menus, programmes and photographs of the club all help us tell its story. Send us a scan or a photo and we will add it here, with credit.

Send it to the Secretary