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Habbie Simpson

1550 – 1620

British musician

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About Habbie Simpson

Lived 1550 – 1620 (aged 69–70). Habbie Simpson was a musician.

Habbie Simpson (1550–1620) was the town piper in the Scottish village of Kilbarchan in Renfrewshire. Today Simpson is chiefly known as the subject of the poem the Lament for Habbie Simpson (also known as The life and death of the piper of Kilbarchan). Inhabitants of Kilbarchan are informally known as "Habbies" to this day.

The Lament for Habbie Simpson, written by Robert Sempill the younger, was the first notable poem written in the form known as "standard Habbie", or Burns stanza. The Burns stanza was widely used by Burns and Robert Fergusson in their poems.

Kilbarchan's Steeple Building has an exterior niche which contains a statue of Simpson. The original statue was carved in wood by Archibald Robertson of Greenock and placed in the niche in 1822. The current statue, dating from 1932, is made of bronze and it replaced the original statue.

During Kilbarchan's annual Lilias Day celebrations, it is customary for the piper to dress up as Habbie Simpson.

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Important facts

Born
1550
Birth century
Died
1620
Occupation

People in Habbie Simpson's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Habbie Simpson's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Habbie Simpson?

British musician

When was Habbie Simpson born?

Habbie Simpson was born in 1550.

When did Habbie Simpson die?

Habbie Simpson died in 1620.

What was Habbie Simpson's occupation?

Habbie Simpson was a musician.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Habbie Simpson

· Wikidata: Q5636655

· DBpedia: Habbie Simpson

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Habbie Simpson. https://biography.guide/habbie-simpson/

MLA: "Habbie Simpson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/habbie-simpson/.

Chicago: "Habbie Simpson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/habbie-simpson/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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