Isabella Steven

Isabella Steven or Tibbie Stein was the daughter of a tenant farmer from Littlehill or Little Hill Farm (NS467305) that adjoined the Burns's farm at Lochlea. A Tarbolton tradition holds that 'Tibbie' lived in the village on the west side of Burns Street on the corner of Garden Street.

Association with Robert Burns

The poet is said to have visited her home one evening only to be politely informed that 'Tibbie' was not available as she was engaged with another admirer. Burns turned on his heels and never visited her again. Tibbie married her beau to become Mrs Isabella Allan and Robert turned his attention to Elizabeth Paton.

The poet wrote the caustic song "O Tibbie, I Hae Seen The Day" with the chorus:

The love song, one of Burn's first in this category, is set to the tune "Invercauld's Reel", appears (no. 196) in Johnson's The Scots Musical Museum in 1788: