Burns supper Burns supper A Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), the author of many Scots poems. The suppers are normally held on or near the poet's birthday, 25 January, occasionally known as Robert Burns Day (or Robbie Burns Day or Rabbie Burns Day) but more commonly known as Burns Night (). However, in principle, celebrations may be held at any other time of the year. The first supper was held "in memoriam" at Burns Cottage by Burns's friends, on 21 July 1801, the fifth anniversary of his
James Burns (merchant) of Renfrewshire. The ‘Memoirs’ are filled with detailed accounts of the incidents which befell the nobility of Scotland during turbulent times. James Burns (merchant) James Burns was a Glasgow-born merchant of the 17th century and the author of the "Memoirs of the Civil War and during the Usurpation from 1644 to 1661". Little is known of his history, but he is supposed to be the son of Robert Burns, who is mentioned in "Ure's History of Glasgow",’ and whose name appears in the "List of Linen and Woollen Drapers", commonly called English Merchants, since the year 1600. The manuscript of