Jock Tamson's Bairns

Posted by ESC on August 08, 2003

In Reply to: Jock Tamson's Bairns posted by Roy on August 07, 2003

: 'We're all Jock Tamson's bairns' is a popular saying in Scotland and indeed is known in other parts of the world. The Reverend John Thomson {Jock Tamson} was a much-loved minister of Duddingston Kirk, Edinburgh from 1805 to 1840. He called the members of his congregation 'ma bairns' {my children}and this resulted in folk saying 'we're all Jock Tamson's bairns' which gave a sense of belonging to a small but special group. Nowadays, the phrase is often used to indicate we're all the same under the skin.

That's a keeper.

• Jock Tamson's Bairns Kit 08/August/03
  • Jock Tamson's Bairns Kit 09/August/03