It is with sincere regret we report the death of Jock Elliot proprietor of the well-known chanter and reed manufacturer G1. Jock was 47 and had been a member of Inveraray Pipe Band during their Worlds winning years.
Jock began his pipe band career with Balingry School in Fife where he was taught by Bob Shepherd. From there he played with Dysart & Dundonald before moving to Shotts and then Inveraray.
A very gifted player, Jock went to work for Bob Shepherd at his factory in Cardenden. He became an expert reedmaker. He always had a hankering for going out on his own and eventually left Shepherds to form the G1 reedmaking firm in Kircaldy.
Before he developed his own chanter he worked closely with Barry Donaldson on matching his reeds to the Sinclair chanter. He became a close friend of Barry’s when they both played in the Shotts band under P/M Robert Mathieson.
Said Barry: ‘This is a tremendous shock to everyone. Jock was the friendliest, most pleasant man you could wish to meet. He had not a bad word to say about anyone.
‘He was popular with everyone and everyone was delighted when he settled down to married life in 2021. His business success was based on his thorough understanding of bagpipe sound – and he was a tremendous piper.
‘I won’t be alone in saying how profoundly saddened I am at this news.’