Alex Ibell/ Alex MacIver/ SPA KO/ Clasp Draw

We are grateful to Hector Russell, Helensburgh, for supplying these pictures of P/M Alex M. MacIver (above, leading march) and piper Alex F Ibell (below). Through the 214th Glasgow Co. Boys Brigade Pipe Band, Alex Ibell and MacIver were responsible for beginning the piping careers of P/M Ian McLellan of Strathclyde Police, Hector himself, Robert Wallace and many other Grade 1 pipers.

Alex Ibell is pictured in the uniform of the now defunct Whiteinch Pipe Band and he lived at 9 Haldane Street, in Whiteinch, the home district of the 214. When Alex’s wife died his older sister Meg returned from the US where she had worked in  domestic service with the Gillette family (razors).

Thanks to Meg, youngsters coming to Alex for lessons at Haldane Street were plied with tasty American goodies unheard of in the grimy tenements of Glasgow in the ’50s and ’60s.

Alex Ibell is immortalised in a fine 6/8 march composed by P/M Alex M. MacIver. The tune is published in Donald MacLeod‘s Book 3. Here it is played by PP Editor Robert Wallace:

Alex MacIver is pictured top leading the Grand March of the Glasgow Lewis and Harris Association which preceded the association’s annual ball which was usually held in the city’s famous St Andrew’s Hall (destroyed by fire in 1962).  Alex was President of the association at the time. Thanks to Hector Russell for supplying this picture too.

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Reminder: The second semi final of the SPA KO is tonight at the College of Piping. Get along to hear Stuart Liddell and Steven Leask battle it out for a place in the final. 7 for 7.30; bar, raffle etc.

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The draw for next Saturday’s (April 8) CLASP competitions to be held at the Piping Centre, Glasgow, is as follows:

Grade 3 Piobaireachd
Start 9.30am Robertson Room; Judge – Andrew Bova

1. Colin Taylor (G&F)
2. James Hanlon (F)
3. Colin Brown (F)
4. Stewart Allan (F)
5. Bianca Kail (G&F)
6. Karina Huber (G&F)
7. Robert Thomson (F & G)
8. Steven Whitton (F)
9. Andrew Richardson (F)
10. Neil Mitchell (G&F)
11. Alfred Graf (G&F)
12. Ryo Hasuda (F)

Grade 2 Piobaireachd
Start 9.30am Collinson Room; Judge – Jonathan Greenlees

1. Jeanette Greenwood
2. Andrea Zingg
3. James Carnegie
4. Dagmar Pesta
5. Romana Brunner
6. Con Houlihan

Grade 1 Piobaireachd to follow Grade 2 Piobaireachd
Judge – Jonathan Greenlees

1. Andrew Hutton
2. Stewart Gaudin
3. John Frater
4. Ian Graham
5. Gordon Hislop

Lunch Break; Afternoon Commencing 1.30pm

Grade 3 Light Music – 6/8 March, 2/4 March and Strathspey & Reel
Start 1.30pm Collinson Room; Judge Jonathan Greenlees

1. Ryo Hasuda
2. Andrew Richardson
3. Karina Huber
4. Alfred Graf
5. James Hanlon
6. Bianca Kail
7. Colin Taylor
8. Ulrike Jöbstl

Grade 2 Light Music – 6/8 March, 2/4 March and Strathspey & Reel
To follow Grade 3 Light Music

1. Colin Brown
2. James Carnegie
3. Stewart Allan
4. Neil Mitchell
5. Con Houlihan
6. Dagmar Pesta
7. Andrea Zingg

Grade 1 Light Music – 6/8 March, 2/4 March and Strathspey & Reel
Start 1.30pm Robertson Room; Judge – Andrew Bova

1. Jeanette Greenwood
2. Romana Brunner
3. Gordon Hislop
4. John Frater
5. Andrew Hutton
6. Richard Aitken
7. Liam McCann
8. Ian Graham
9. Stewart Gaudin
10. Steven Whitton
    

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