Ayr Charity Shop in Poetry Mystery

Jul 18 2008

A BOOKSHOP has fallen heir to the precious work of a poet – but they can’t trace the owner.

The poems of George Colburn were handed in to the charity shop in Ayr, leaving manager Chris Moorhouse with a mystery to solve.

He explained: “All we knew was the poet’s name and that the book was his personal copy.

“It contained some very personal messages about deaths in his family and that sort of thing.

“We didn’t know who donated the book so we were left with a picture to build up of this mystery man.”

After investigations which have spanned the globe, Chris is slowly piecing together the jigsaw on the man who wrote Poems on Mankind and Nature.

And he’s now looking for a museum to take the book off his hands – because he thinks it’s too special to sell.

He revealed: “The personal messages inside make me reluctant to price up the book and sell it as I would with any other.

“I feel like I’ve got to know this man better than my own dad considering all the research I’ve done on him.

“We now know he was born in Lawrencekirk, near Aberdeen, in 1852 and lived until he was 84 – which was a hell of an age in those days.

“I’ve had emails from everywhere, even Florida, with people wanting to help find out who he was.”

Chris, who manages the Scottish International Relief shop in Newmarket Street, added: “I’m hoping a museum will take the book off my hands.

“Colburn was no Robbie Burns, but he was clearly a good writer and his personal work ought to be on display.”