Perthshire and Kinross

Robert Burns Begg was the son of a Kinross school-
master, who was a nephew of Robert Burns. He was a fellow of the Scottish Society of Antiquaries, and was
keenly interested in the history of Kinross and all that
concerned it. Loch Leven and its associations connected
with St. Serf’s and Mary Queen of Scots specially gripped
him. In 1874, he published the “Loch Leven Angler,”
which is still the authoritative work on the Loch as an
angling resort. Later, in 1887, he wrote his “History of Loch Leven Castle,” and twelve years later that book,
revised and augmented, was republished under the title
“The Secrets of My Prison House.” This book gives a
very full and interesting account of the tragic life of Queen Mary, her imprisonment and escape from the Castle. Mr. Begg also published a monograph on his grandmother, Isobel Begg, who was a sister of Robert Burns. In addition there are many fugitive verses by him.

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