Pipe Major James (Jamie) Troy passed away peacefully on the morning of December 9th, surrounded by his family. He was 83. His entire life he had dealt with severe asthma. A recent fall put him in hospital and his underlying condition was too much to overcome.
As a child of only seven, the family’s Scottish doctor advised his parents that Jamie should take up Highland dancing to help strengthen his legs after foot surgery. He began lessons with local teacher Adeline Duncan but decided the pipes were a better bet and started the chanter with her husband, Pipe Major Ian Duncan of Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Jamie was a quick learner and an able pupil. Under his direction, the Greater Victoria Schools Pipe Band was formed with him as Pipe Major. In his late teens he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and played with their band at the Worlds Fair in 1961.
Jamie continued his study of piping, with lessons from Archie MacEndewar, Jimmie Watt, Archie Cairns and Donald MacLeod. Through attendance at schools such as that at Couer d’Alene in Idaho, Jamie developed a love of piobaireachd, with considerable influence from Andrew Wright.
Jamie was passionate and committed to excellence in all things piping, sound, technique, rhythm and music. As a soloist, he won all the prizes on offer in the Pacific Northwest.
Jamie’s passion and commitment carried over into pipe bands. In 1972, along with P/S Stephen Geddes, and lead Drummer Colin Magee, he started the City of Victoria Pipe Band. With Jamie at the helm they became a world class outfit.
Bob Hardie was a major influence, the plan being to develop a band on the Canadian west coast based on the model of Muirhead & Sons and Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia.
City of Victoria paved the way for Grade One in BC. His band, and that of Hal Senyk’s Triumph Street, set a standard that had not yet been heard in Canada, certainly not on the west coast.
In its first attempt at the World Championship in Nottingham 1979 they made a huge impact making the prize list, with many thinking that they had ‘won the day’. It would be another eight years before the time was right for an overseas band to lift the ultimate accolade – Ontario’s 78th Frasers in 1987.
In 1981, at the Worlds in Aberdeen, the band placed sixth again. The ’80s were the prime years for City of Victoria, bringing up and influencing several of today’s players such as Bruce Gandy, Jack and Terry Lee, myself, Dave Hilder, James MacHattie and drummer John Fisher. When the band folded, Jamie led the Greater Victoria Police Pipe Band for a while.
Jamie retired after 30 years working in telecoms, but any thought of putting his feet up quickly vanished when he and his son, Jamie P Troy, took over the Shotts-based MacAllister reed business, shipping all the firm’s tools to Vancouver Island and emulating the stringent standards set by Jock, Tom and Will. The business continues to be highly successful.
Jamie did not suffer fools, and was honest and straightforward with his assessment of anyone’s playing. But he was kind, and gave of his time to anyone who approached him. He was always thinking about music, learning and studying.
Jamie Troy was hugely respected by all who knew him across the globe. His influence on Canadian piping and pipe bands cannot be overstated. We all owe him a huge debt of gratitude.
Peter Aumonier
- Please leave any messages of condolence or tributes in our Comments section below. Read more about P/M Troy and City of Victoria here.
