Alison Begbie, the daughter of a small farmer in the parish of Galston, it is said (not by me) ‘was not a beauty but had many charming qualities’, heightened by an education much beyond anything that Burns had ever encountered in a woman.
They kept company for a time, but, for reasons nowhere stated, Miss Begbie refused the poet’s suit. However, this did not stop him from writing of her in song - The Lass of Cessnock Banks and Bonie Peggy Alison. He could find nothing to rhyme with “Begbie” and used his poetic licence to refer to her as “Peggy Alison”.
Burn’s lovely song - “Mary Morison” - has caused much speculation as for whom it was actually written. Gilbert, the poet’s brother, maintained that Alison Begbie, Peggy Alison and Mary Morison were, all three, one and the same person.
It has been claimed, however, that “lovely Mary Morison”, whom the poet admired as a girl of sixteen, was the daughter of Adjutant Morison of Mauchline and in Mauchline Kirkyaird there is a tombstone bearing the following inscription -
“In memory of Adjutant John Morison, etc., etc.; also his daughter - the poet’s bonnie Mary Morison - who died 29th June, 1791, aged 20; and his second spouse etc.”.
Who is right - Gilbert Burns or the tombstone?
A guide track for ‘Alison Begbie’ is available below for listening: -
You can download a PDF of the sheet music here
- or braille format here.
The track is additionally available within the following collections and sets: -
Associated Collections: -
4/4
Ayrshire Characters
Hornpipe
Not Yet Recorded
Robert Burns
The Tarbolton Collection
The Three Six Five Collection
