Allan Masterton (c1750-1799)

Writer and Friend of Robert Burns

Allan Masterton was a writing master in Stevenlaw's Close, in the High Street, Edinburgh and befriended Robert Burns through their mutual friend William Nicol. In 1795, he became writing master in the High School, along with his brother Dugald, and his nephew, also Dugald.

Genealogy

According to the two references below, Allan Masterton came from a Linlithgowshire family. The work by Rogers, on which Lindsay probably relies, was rather disappointing and gives no hard evidence of direct ancestral links. As a piece of genealogical research it's weak, with evidence restricted to a few random events out of the many available. It also has at least one error. The baptism of Agnes Masterton in Abercorn was on 3rd April 1614, not 3rd April 1585.

I've assembled a very small tree, however, starting with the two brothers Dugald and Allan. Dugald married Ann Lothian and Allan married, in 1772, Annie Cameron, daughter of Dugald Cameron, a farmer from Ardnamurchan. Dugald's son, also Dugald, was, according to OPR records index in scotlandspeople, born in 1782 so he would only be 13 when he was employed to assist his father and uncle at the High School.

Allan and Annie had at least four children:
Ann (born c1773?)
John Shiells christened 4 October 1780
Mary Elizabeth christened 4 October 1780
Archibald Campbell christened 8 April 1784

Daughter Ann, whom Burns immortalised in song, married Dr Philip Derbishire in Edinburgh in 1793 then moved to Bath and then London.

Dugald and Ann Lothian had at least four children:
Kathrine christened 23 November 1765
Dewar christened 15 November 1767
Isobell christened 4 December 1770
Dugald christened 25 May 1782

(The gap between Isobell and Dugald is curious, and one suspects a misreading for 1772 - which would make his appointment to the High School at age 23 rather than 13, perhaps a more credible age for such a position?)

Masterton, Allan (d.1799)

He came from a Linlithgowshire family. When Burns was in Edinburgh, Masterton was a writing master in Stevenlaw's Close, in the High Street. In 1795, he became writing master in the High School, along with his brother Dugald, and his nephew, also Dugald. He had a good knowledge of Scots song, and was by way of being a composer himself. William Nicol introduced him to Burns. They visited Nicol in the autumn of 1789 at lodgings he had taken near Moffat. The jollification resulted in that splendid drinking song, 'Willie brew'd a peck o' maut', for which Masterton wrote the music. The song appeared in the Scots Musical Museum, 1790. He also wrote the music for several other Burns songs, including the airs for 'Strathallan's Lament', 'The Braes o' Ballochmyle', 'The Bonnie Birks o' Ayr', 'On Hearing a Young Lady Sing', and 'Ye gallants bright, I rede ye right', the last of which Burns wrote for Masterton's daughter , Ann.

In a letter to Captain Riddell, dated 16th October 1789, Burns described Masterton as 'one of the worthiest men in the world, and a man of real genius'. Masterton became a sort of intermediary for Burns in Edinburgh when he wrote to Peter Hill and others buying books. None of Burns's letters to Masterton has survived.

Masterton, Miss Ann
Daughter of Allan Masterton. She married a Dr. Derbishire, who practised first in Bath and then in London. They had one son. Burns recorded in a note to the song 'Beware o' Bonie Ann' that he 'composed this song out of compliment to Miss Ann Masterton, the daughter of my friend Allan Masterton.....' The song appeared in Johnson's Museum.

The BURNS Encyclopedia
Maurice Lindsay
Robert Hale, London. 1959
Third edition (revised and enlarged) 1980
page 227

Allan Masterton

The lands of Masterton, lying in the parish of Dunfermline, are so designated from the Anglo-Saxon Maestertun, signifying the habitation of the master. Under the former name of Ledmacdunegil, the lands were granted by Malcolm IV. to the monks of Dunfermline. Among the barons who in 1296 swore fealty to Edward I., appears William de Masterton. A descendant of the family, Margaret, daughter of Alexander Masterton of the lands of Bad and Parkmill in the county of Perth, and wife of Mr. James Primrose, was nurse to Prince Henry, eldest son of James VI., for which service she and her husband received a pension during their lives. On the January 1591-92 Captain Robert Masterton of Pittenweem appears as pursuer in a legal process.² In a process are named, on the February 1591-92, John Masterton of Broughton, and Edmund his son and heir.³ On the 15th March 1595 Gilbert Masterton, merchant in Edinburgh, is mentioned in a bond.⁴

A branch of the Masterton family settled in the county of Linlithgow. On the 3rd April 1585 Archibald Masterton, of the parish of Abercorn, had his daughter Agnes baptized.⁵ Alexander Masterton, merchant, and one of the magistrates of Linlithgow, married, in February 1691, Margaret Glen; they had on the February 1693 a daughter Marion, baptized.⁶ On the 29th November 1702 Thomas Masterton, merchant in Linlithgow, had a son, Robert, baptized.⁷ At Linlithgow, on the 23rd February 1735 Archibald Masterton, son of Archibald Masterton, miller in Mill, and Helen West, relict of William Jamieson, tenant in had their banns of marriage proclaimed.⁸

From the Linlithgowshire family derived Allan Masterton who, when Burns resided in Edinburgh, exercised the vocation of writing-master in Stevenlaw's Close, High Street. From thence he was by the Town Council, on the 26th August 1795, promoted as teacher of writing in the High School, conjointly with his brother Dugald, and his nephew, Dugald Masterton, junior.

To his skill as a writing-master, Allan Masterton added an acquaintance with the national minstrelsy; he was also accomplished as a musical composer. With the Poet he became acquainted on the introduction of William Nicol, and the acquaintance ripened into a warm friendship. In the autumn of 1789 Nicol took lodgings at Willie's Mill, a place situated in the vicinity of Moffat, and there he was waited on by the Poet, accompanied by Masterton, who had been on a visit to Dalswinton. The jollities of the occasion induced the Poet to compose his song of "Willie brew'd," which was set to music by Masterton. He is the Allan of the song. In his letter to Caprtain Riddel, dated 16th October 1789, the Poet describes Masterton as "one of the worthiest men in the world, and a man of real genius."

Among other tunes composed by Allan Masterton for Burns's songs were those to "Strathallen's Lament," "The Braes o' Ballochmyle," "The Bonnie Birks o' Ayr," and "On hearing a Young Lady sing." In compliment to Mr. Masterton's daughter, Anne, the Poet composed the song beginning, "Ye gallants bright, I rede ye right," to which the young lady's father added the music. Anne Masterton married Dr. Derbishire, who practised as a physician, first at Bath and aftwerwards in London. She was living in London in 1834; the date of her death is unknown. Her son, Stewart Derbishire, became Queen's Printer at Quebec; he died there on 27th March 1863.

Allan Masterton died in 1799.

1 Chartulary of Dunfermline, p.23.
2 General Register of Deeds, vol. xxxix.
3 Ibid, vol. xxxix. fol. 208.
4 Ibid, vol. li.
5 Abercorn Parish Register.
6 Linlithgow Parish Register.
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid. For further particulars regarding the Masterton family, see Genealogy of Mastertons of that Ilk, Parkmill, etc. privately printed. 4to, 1878.

The Book of Robert Burns
Genealogical and Historical Memoirs of the Poet and his Associates and those Celebrated in his Writings
Rev. Charles Rogers, D.D., LL.D.
The Grampian Club, Edinburgh. 1890
In Three Volumes: Vol. II
pages 32-34