IT is a fitting tribute to a man who has been described as a Royal Mile "institution".
The famous street will next week witness a horse-drawn funeral procession winding its way from the Castle Esplanade to Canongate Kirk as friends, family and dignitaries pay a very public farewell to 87-year-old John Burns.
Mr Burns, who passed away on Easter Sunday, was born on the Royal Mile and worked on the street for most of his life.
Among his jobs was keeping the Tolbooth clock working for many years, winding it every day and ensuring all the machinery was in proper order.
He was also a veteran of the Arctic convoys, delivering aid to Russia during the Second World War – and a representative of the Russian Consul Vladimir Malygin is set to attend.
Mr Burns' daughter, Pamela Hunter, who arranged the funeral, said: "He lived and breathed the Royal Mile for most of his life, as did his family.
"When he died I thought it would only be right to give him a proper send-off and so I started arranging this.
"I was amazed when I was told the Russian Consul, who met my dad last year, wanted to pay his respects. It is great that the other members of the Russian Convoy Club will be following him down the Royal Mile.
"His family will be coming from around the world, as far afield as Australia, to attend the funeral, and I just hope it will be a fitting send-off."
Mr Burns was born on the Royal Mile, was one of 11 children and went to the old Cranston Primary School in the Canongate before working briefly as a miner and then joining the Navy.
He was presented with a medal along with other veterans by Mr Malygin in 2006 and 12 convoy veterans will be present, along with Russian Vice-Consul Grigory Antonenkov, as the coffin is carried in a glass carriage.
Russian Convoy Club Scotland chairman Jock Dempster, 79, of Dunbar, said: "He always had a chuckle on his face. He had a great sense of humour and was still full of life to the end. He was a hell of a good, nice guy and everybody admired the old lad."
He worked as a bar steward at Edinburgh Castle from 1972 to 1986 and also worked as a caretaker at Huntley House Museum, the Museum of Childhood and the Tolbooth Museum.
Piper Donald MacFarlane – an ex-Scots Dragoon Guards and Lone Piper, who knew Mr Burns well from his time at the Castle – will lead the procession.
Police officers will be stopping traffic briefly at the various points to allow the procession to pass safely. Mr Burns' wife Betty, 83, and his four daughters, nine grandchildren and one great-grandson are all expected to attend.
Mr Burns died at the Ferryfield Nursing Home in Ferry Road, from bronchial pneumonia. The funeral procession is due to start at 2.30pm on Wednesday.
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