John Bacon

John Bacon was a vintner

Thomas Stewart and Jean Lees of Closeburn Kirk Brig were parents to a Catherine Stewart born on 16 February 1790. Catherine pre-deceased her husband who died in 1824 and John and Joseph Bacon recorded as his executors and closest relatives, could have been their sons.

The list of his chattels upon his death in 1824 includes farm stock and crops, suggesting that he was involved in farming in some way.

In 1797 Bacon had six horses that were kept in the stables on the west side of the road. He also had one four wheeled carriage.

Burns, when asked on one occasion by a commercial traveller, surnamed Ladyman, to prove that it was really the famous poet that he was dining on bacon and beans with, Burns made up on the spot the following epigram that highlighted the personality quirk of Bacon to often overstay his welcome when serving customers:

"At Brownhill we always get dainty good cheer, And plenty of bacon each day in the year; We've a'thing that's nice, and mostly in season, But why always Bacon — Come, tell me the reason?"

Burns had recited the lines extempore when Bacon went out to see about fetching fresh supplies of whisky toddy. Langhorne took it to Dumfries where the bed was eventually broken up by a relative and used to make snuff boxes that bore a commemorative inscription to Burns.

"Curs'd be the man, the poorest wretch in life, The crouching vassal to a tyrant wife! Who has no will but by her high permission, Who has not sixpence but in her possession; Who must to he, his dear friend's secrets tell, Who dreads a curtain lecture worse than hell. Were such the wife had fallen to my part, I'd break her spirit or I'd break her heart; I'd charm her with the magic of a switch, I'd kiss her maids, and kick the perverse bitch".

John Bacon died, intestate, on the 1 November 1824 and the court records show that he had two executors who were his closest living relatives, John Bacon of Huntingdon and Joseph Bacon of Whitehaven.

Association with Robert Burns A view of the old livery stables and cart sheds looking north. The 'Ayrshire Monthly Newsletter' of 1844 reported that "At the sale of the effects of Mr Bacon, Brownhill Inn, after his death in 1825, his snuff-box, being found to bear the inscription: "Robert Burns - Officer of the Excise" - although only a 'cloot' or horn mounted with silver, sold for £5. It was understood to have been presented by Burns to Bacon, with whom he had spent many a merry night."

One summer evening in 1793, whilst dining at the inn with Dr Purdie of Sanquhar and another friend, Catherine however was able to sell the glass tumbler for a shilling to a customer, who purchased it as a memento. Another version of the story places the event at the Closeburn Kirk Bridge Inn where the landlady was Catherine Stewart Bacon's mother.

Chorus

You're welcome, Willie Stewart, You're welcome, Willie Stewart, There's ne'er a flower that blooms in May, That's half sae welcome's thou art!

Come, bumpers high, express your joy, The bowl we maun renew it, The tappet hen, gae bring her ben, To welcome Willie Stewart, &c.

May foes be strang, and friends be slack, Ilk action, may he rue it, May woman on him turn her back, That wrangs thee, Willie Stewart,

The engraved tumbler survives to this day having become a treasured part of Sir Walter Scott's collections at Abbotsford House.

Burns also wrote verses in honour of 'Polly Stewart', Bacon's niece, William Stewart's daughter. The article claimed that Sir Charles D. Stuart-Menteith, Bart of Closeburn Castle had these window panes carefully removed and packed away. Following his father's death Sir James is said to have examined these artefacts and was so shocked that he destroyed them in order to preserve Burns's reputation. that the poem concerned was "The Henpecked Husband."