The current hiatus in piping activity, more particularly in pipe band activity, has been likened to a similar fallow period during WW2. What was it like then? In this series piping historian Jeannie Campbell investigates and finds that there was much more going on than might be imagined…. Pipers took their traditions with them wherever they were stationed. A Highland Games was held on the North African shores of the…
The Second World War interrupted pipe band contests, which resumed in 1946. In 1947 the Scottish Pipe Band Association decided to take the World Championship away from Cowal as they had had a good offer from Edinburgh City Council which wanted it to be held there to coincide with the new Festival. Cowal refused to give up the Championship or hand over the trophies, and after a lot of meetings…
A new points system was introduced in 1961 and in 1962 the idea of a possible fourth grade to replace the Ladies’ and Juvenile grades was broached. Grade Four contests began in 1963. The bands in this new grade were to play either a two-part march twice over or a four part march once and have a minimum of six pipers, two sides and a bass drum. Other grades continued…
By Jeannie Campbell Eleven members of the Caledonian Ladies under P/M Nan Stevenson played in Spain in 1956 and it was reported that the band had more overseas requets than they could cope with. The Jean Carnie Girls from Edinburgh were competing in the Juvenile grade during 1956 and are pictured above in their very smart attire. Helen Mallan, wife of the late Scottish singer Peter Mallan (‘For These Are…
By Jeannie Campbell The Clan Stewart Ladies Pipe Band (above) was founded in Glasgow in 1947 under Pipe Major Miss Annie MacNeill and band secretary Miss May Knox. At the first meeting it was decided that the ladies themselves would be wholly responsible for the administration of the unit, and this was continued during the future years. P/M John Weatherston BEM [Red Hackle] and Mr Ian McNair were responsible for…
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