Although Robert Burns had many other loves in his life, he always returned to his long-suffering wife, Jean Armour. Despite his philanderings and the inevitable scattering of other offspring, Jean remained constant to Robert throughout his life and after.
Jean bore Robert nine children, the first of whom were twins, appropriately, Robert and Jean. Tragically, the girl lived only a few days. Sadness continued to shadow them when a second set of twins both died within 3 weeks of birth. Of their other children, Francis Wallace Burns died at 14 years, Elizabeth at 3 years and Maxwell - the lastborn - at only 4 years. Only firstborn Robert, Colonel William Nicol Burns and James Glencairn Burns lived to the ripe old ages of 70, 80 and 71 respectively.But of them all, it was Maxwell's arrival which was the most poignant, born on the day of his father's funeral - father and son, spirits passing between two worlds. Throughout Burns' life Jean knew that her husband had a roving eye yet showed more understanding than a man might even unreasonably expect. The Jean Armour chesspiece symbolises rather than tries to represent the loving Jean and her family.
There's no' a bonie floo'r that springs ,
By fountain, shaw or green.
There's no' a bonie bird that sings,
But minds me o' my Jean.
Of a' the Airts
(September, 1788)
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