Edward Whigham

The Second whistle contest A few days after the famous 'Whistle' contest at Friars Carse a second contest using whisky toddy was enacted at 'Whigham's Inn'. Burns had borrowed the whistle from Fergusson of Craigdarroch to show to family and friends at Mauchline. Those involved in this contest were Burns, Whigham, John King and Provost William Johnston of Clackleith, later Blackaddie, the judge being Whigham's son John. It is not recorded who the victor was.

The New Inn and Diamond Point Engraving As stated, Burns was a frequent visitor to Sanquhar and he often stayed at the New Inn on the High Street where he is said to engraved lines in 1789 on a windowpane after breakfast one day, something he had done at several other inns across Scotland. The poem engraved was not one composed by Burns himself, but by John Hughes (1677-1720), before 1719, for a window in Wallington House, home of a Mrs Elizabeth Bridges. In the 1880s, the window pane was said to have been broken or removed during repairs to the house, but in the 1880s Miss Allison, a grand-daughter of Edward Whigham, recited the lines from memory for the author of a local guidebook.

The lines are also preserved, with minor variation in wording, not though in Burns's hand, in the copy of Burns's Kilmarnock Edition that he is said to have presented to Mrs. Whigham, now in the Princeton University Library. In 1896 the engraved window pane, which may genuinely have been the work of Burns, was reported to be part of the Burns memorabilia collection of Mr David Barker, and it is more recently said to be in New Zealand.

Correspondence with Burns

On 7 February 1789 Burns wrote to Mrs Jane Whigham "I received the books safe and sound; and in return, I inclose you the Poem you wanted. You will likewise see the first sketch of the Poem, oh a something different plan. My best compliments to the Bailie: I am much indebted to your kindness and his to the two boys, my brothers in law."

In 1793 Burns wrote "Memorandum for Provost E[dward] W[higham], to get from John French his sets of the following Scotch airs - 1. The auld yowe jumpt o'er the tether. 2. Nine nights awa', welcome hame my dearie. 3. A' the nights o' the year, the chapman drinks nae water. Mr Whigham will either of himself, or through the medium of that worthy veteran of original wit and social ininquity, Clackleith, procure these, and it will be extremely obliging to."

This was at the time when Burns was collecting old Scottish airs and songs for George Thomson's A Select Collection of Original Scottish Airs for the Voice.

In 1996 Christie's auctioned the following: "BURNS, ROBERT, 1759-1796. Autograph manuscript (signed "The Author"), his "Song--Tune. Humours of glen," addressed at bottom by the poet "To Provost E. Whigham, this first copy of the song," n.p., n.d. [1795?]. 1 page, 4to, 240 x 197 mm. (9 3/8 x 7 3/4 in.), integral blank, paper weak at a few folds, tiny chip torn from lower edge of sheet."

Family Edward's wife, Jane Osborne died 6 October 1846, aged 88 years; Edward Whigham junior was a merchant in Sanquhar who died 28 December 1874, aged 81 years; John Whigham died on 19 September 1857; Robert, a younger brother living in Glasgow, died some years later. George Whigham joined the Hon. East India Company as an assistant surgeon in Bombay. He died in 1836.

The Queensberry Arms Hotel Located at 52 High Street (NS 78194 09837) the old hotel became a shop before being abandoned and boarded up. A plaque on the building exterior erected in 1996 marked the bicentenary of Burns's death. The old hotel is on the 'Buildings at Risk' register.