Author: Robert Wallace

Putting the Record Straight on Our World Pipe Band Champions

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I am grateful to reader Trevor Clydesdale for forwarding this list of winners from the first Cowal Championship in 1906, writes the Editor. These bands were considered the World Champions of their day and deserve to be showered with the same accolades as the champions of today. Yet they feature not in the official RSPBA Worlds programme produced for that championship each year. Perhaps these winners did not have the…

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Editor’s Notebook: Clan MacRae and the Worlds/ Donald’s Fingers/ Bellows Pipes Sale/ PS AGM

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Kenny Macleod has responded to this week’s story on the Clan MacRae band. Kenny: ‘My uncle Alec Macleod was the P/M of the Clan MacRae when they won the Grade 1 Worlds in 1953 [left of the trophy, facing], and my father Jimmy, pictured third from the left, was the pipe sergeant. ‘He left the band in 1968 and started the Glasgow Skye Association band along with Eddie MacLellan, who…

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Editor’s Notebook: Clan MacRae PB/ Set Tunes/ Band Gradings/ Jimmy Hood/ Iain MacPherson’s Pipes

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Reader Rona Launders writes: ‘There’s an image of the Clan MacRae Society Pipe Band which was taken in the 1950s on your website. My father, William Turnbull is one of the drummers in the photograph and I would very much like a copy and of course I’m more than happy to pay for the image.’ I take it that’s the picture above Rona. Please feel free to download/copy it or…

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Scots Guards KO Result/ Niall’s New Tune/ New Dollar Pipe Band Contest Information

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Angus J MacColl (pictured) won the Scots Guards Knock Out contest after a closely fought final in the Guards Club at Haymarket, Edinburgh, yesterday March 26. Organiser P/M Jimmy Banks MBE reported a ‘a great day of very good piping before an audience of approximately 50’. The other finalist was John Dew of Inveraray & District Pipe Band. Judging was by audience vote and nominated judges seated in the audience….

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Editor’s Notebook: Northern Meeting 1903/ Donald’s Fingers/ Tartan Week/ Gourock Contest/ Vic Herman

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New York based piper Yahya Hussein has been in touch regarding the 1903 photograph from the Northern Meeting. He writes: ‘After studying the photo for several days now, and finding the lists of the competitors for the 1903 Gold Medal, here is what I have. ‘It’s the best I could do unless the original photo has a list of the players on the back. Front rank from the left: ‘Andrew MacDonald, brother of John MacDonald,…

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