I came across this piping medal which I thought might be of interest, writes John Campbell, Kilberry. It was struck in 1899 and competed for by the estate pipers. It has the names of five recorded winners on the reverse.
The pipers were all members of the Kilberry Estate pipe band tutored by my grandfather, Archibald Campbell, compiler and editor of the famous ‘Kilberry Book of Ceol Mor’.
The competition and the Kilberry Pipers ran its course when my grandfather was posted to India and most of the pipers went abroad for a variety of reasons. Below is an article written by my uncle James Campbell about the 1899 Kilberry pipers:
From left to right: 1 John MacFater. Workman on Kilberry House Farm. An unorthodox player, but very famous player for dancing, with ‘lift’ possessed by no other piper, great or small, whom I have ever heard. He died four or five years after the photograph.
2 John Black. Son of the tenant of Tiretigan – a very promising player of competition marches, thoroughly orthodox. Emigrated to Rhodesia about 1903, and died there some 35 years later. His father was a native of Kintyre.
3 Angus MacMillan, Second son of Donald MacMillan, tenant of Lergnahension. Donald’s father, Angus, came to Tiretigan from Castle Sween and used to run a ‘packet boat’ from Greenock to Loch Fyne. Donald’s mother was of old Kilberry stock of several generations. Angus the piper, was a very good orthodox player of ceol beag, particularly of strathspeys and reels, perhaps the ablest natural player I have ever known. If he had been taught thoroughly in his early youth, he could have had great career as a piper. He won several prizes at local competitions, including first at Oban in marches and strathspeys and reels and competed in the Oban open competitions. Later on he was in the services of the Dowager Duchess of Argyll and of Col. W.L. Campbell of Dudhope. Still later he was tenant of Lergnahension, and then gamekeeper and farm manager at Meall Mor. Now general factotum at Minard.
4 John Carruthers. Son of a farm manager who came to Kilberry from Dumfries-shire about 1877, and died there 1901. John’s sister was Mrs John MacColl. He was a sailor by trade. Played not many tunes but well, and in thoroughly orthodox style and had the advantage of his brother-in-law’s tuition. Died as the result of an accident at sea about 1925.
5 Neil MacMillan. Elder brother of No. 3. In later life a notable local seanachaidh of tales derived from his great-grandmother through an aunt. From 1910 for about 25 years tenant with his father and Tiretigan. Died in Kintyre 1941.
6 Alexander MacNeil. A native of Glenbarr, Kintyre. Came to Kilberry as a coachman 1891 and as coachman and chauffeur was there for nearly 40 years. Now living at Clachan. Quite a good orthodox player, though holding up horses on slippery hills during long cold, wet drives did not help his fingers.
To follow: Extracts from the Kilberry Diaries of John Campbell Kilberry, Archibald Campbell’s father.
