The book, “Apostle to Burns” by John Davies prompted Sophia Harkness to prepare, for the Thornhill Burns Club, a presentation outlining the building of the Burns Mausoleum and the major part played in this project by William Grierson, the father of Thomas Boyle Grierson, the well known Thornhill  physician and historian .

John Davies, himself a keen historian, had in the 1970`s occupied Grovehill House, near Thornhill, which had been owned by the Grierson family and where William and family lived after he retired from his drapery business in Dumfries. William (1772-1852) had written several diaries during his time in Dumfries describing life there at the time of Burns and also giving an account of the steps taken to erect a suitable memorial in memory of the celebrated poet. He also was a prime mover and secretary of the first Dumfries Burns Club founded in 1820. John, with the help of Museum Curator, Alfie Truckell M.B.E., edited these diaries and had his book published.

Upon the family`s removal from Dumfries to Thornhill young Thomas Grierson was transferred from Dumfries Academy to Penpont School where he remained until going on to Edinburgh University to study medicine. After qualifying as a surgeon he set up a practice in Thornhill combining his medical work with his interest in the history of the area, eventually building a museum in which to house his extensive collection of papers and artefacts. It was Dr. Grierson`s tremendous interest in natural history that helped fire the enthusiasm of young Joseph Thomson the geologist and explorer (1858-1895), educated at Penpont and Thornhill.

While Joseph Thomson is buried in Thornhill , the Grierson family grave is in the old Churchyard in Penpont.

John Davies OBE , late of Cairnmill, Penpont, wrote books on forestry including “Douglas of the Forests” while chief conservator for the south of Scotland Forestry Commission and, during his last  years, wrote some impressive poetry. At the age of 78 he was determined to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro which, of course, he did.

He was an inspiration to many of our young people and a tireless community worker.

John Davies

William Grierson