On 22nd November 1794 Alison Cockburn, poetess, songwriter and socialite passed away in Edinburgh.
Alison Cockburn’s is most famous for writing the words for one of our greatest songs, Floo’ers o’ the Forest, or at least one of the versions.
Born at Fairnilee House, in the Borders between Galasheils and SelkirkAlison was the daughter of Robert Rutherford of Fernilee. She married an impoverished advocate, Patrick Cockburn of Ormiston in 1731.
Unable to afford a home of their own they lived for 4 years in the house of her elderly father-in-law, "an old Presbyterian of the deepest dye" who condemned as ungodly cards, plays, and dancing. On the death of the old man they moved to Edinburgh, and she began to mix in society where her liveliness and wit made her welcome in spite of her relatively lowly status.
Her husband died in 1753, and left her a small income.[2] She continued to mix in artistic and intellectual circles from her home near Bristo Street.
At her house on Castlehill, and afterwards in Chapel Street, she received many illustrious friends, among whom were Walter Scott, Robert Burns, Henry Mackenzie, William Robertson, David Hume, John Home and Lord Monboddo. . She was a poet, socialite and acclaimed wit of her times – a kind of 18th-century It girl.
n 1765 she published her lyrics to the traditional Border Ballad the Floo’ers o’ the Forest. In 1777 she remarked of a young Walter Scott that he was "the most extraordinary genius of a boy I ever saw." She befriended Robert Burns in 1786, whom she described as having "a most enthusiastic heart of love".
She was an iavid letter-writer and a composer of parodies, squibs, toasts and "character sketches", then a favourite form of composition. The "Flowers of the Forest" however is considered the only thing she wrote that possesses lasting literary merit.
s a Rutherford she had a connection with Sir Walter Scott's mother, and was her intimate friend. Lockhart quotes a letter written by Mrs Cockburn in 1777, describing the conduct of little Walter Scott, then scarcely six years old, during a visit which she paid to his mother, when the child stated that he liked Mrs Cockburn due to her being "a virtuoso like [himself]."
Alison Cockburn died on this day 794. She is buried in corner of the kirkyard of Buccleuch Parish Church (aka St. Cuthbert's Chapel of Ease) in south Edinburgh.
As I said there are a few versions of the Floo'ers of the Forest I have posted a video of Mrs Cockburn's version below .
