A treasured Burns family heirloom has been brought back to life – and heard in public for the first time in over a century.
The four-keyed German flute, once owned by James Glencairn Burns, the poet’s son, has been in the Ellisland collection since the 1930s.
It was recently restored and played at a special event in Edinburgh. The boxwood instrument, made by Gerock of London in the early 19th century, is extremely rare.
Thanks to funding from the Pilgrim Trust and the Association of Independent Museums, the flute has now been expertly repaired and made playable again.
From Ellisland to Edinburgh
The restoration was carried out by Lydia Messerschmitt of Phoenix Conservation, with technical repairs by early flute specialist Robert Biglio. Decades of exposure to dirt and soot while Ellisland was a lived-in home had left the instrument in poor condition. Conservators cleaned and oiled the boxwood, repaired its keys, and replaced worn parts with authentic replicas based on other Gerock flutes.
The newly restored instrument made its debut at the Blackie House Library and Museum in Edinburgh’s Old Town, where acclaimed flautist Claire Mann performed alongside Robyn Stapleton (vocals) and Wendy Stewart (harp). The trio played songs from The Ellisland Songbook, including Auld Lang Syne, John Anderson, My Jo, and Ye Banks and Braes, all composed by Burns during his years at the Dumfriesshire farm.
A Living Link to the Burns Family
Although the Edinburgh performance was a private event, it was designed to raise awareness of Ellisland and its future, and to inspire support for conserving Robert Burns’s first marital home with Jean Armour.
Joan McAlpine, Project Director of the Robert Burns Ellisland Trust, described the experience:
“This beautiful instrument connects us directly to the Burns family. James Glencairn Burns may well have inherited his love of the flute from his father, who had also been learning to play while he lived here. Listening to Claire, Robyn, and Wendy’s performance was spine-tingling – world-class art created by Burns in Dumfries and Galloway, performed by today’s local talent.”
Next Stop – Back Home to Ellisland
The flute will be played again soon, this time in Dumfries and Galloway, for members and supporters of the Robert Burns Ellisland Trust. This special homecoming performance will celebrate not only the instrument’s revival but also the living musical heritage of Ellisland.
Adam Dickson, Curator at Ellisland, who managed the two-year restoration project, said:
“We’re so grateful to our funders for making this possible. Thanks to the meticulous work of Lydia and Robert, we now have a working instrument that tells the story of Burns and his family in a new and tangible way.”
