The Burns Family The history of the Burns family reflects the history of the South Down and South Armagh area. The linen industry in Bessbrook, the building of the Silent Valley reservoir, the Newry canal and shipping.
Locke's House.
This is the house of my great great great grand-parents John and Mary Locke whose daughter Jane married William James Burns in 1860.
In presenting this information on the Burns side of the family I am indebted to a number of people for their help. In particular I would like to thank my 'cousin' Cathy Sharp of Greenwich, New York, USA who provided the inspiration and a lot of the information. We have great grandparents in common in James Burns and Mary Anne Littlewood.

I would also like to thank Samuel Hanna of Bessbrook, County Armagh, Northern Ireland who provided information on the Littlewood and McKnight families.

His great grandparents William Littlewood and Jane Acheson (pictured above) are my great great grandparents.