The above photograph is from the British Legion piping competition 2002. I can identify some of those pictured ((l-r): Donald MacKay, Stuart Samson, ?, Jim Penman, Brian Donaldson, a very young Ben Duncan?, Ross McCrindle, ?, ? If anyone can fill in the gaps please pass on. I met Jim again recently at Bob Shepherd’s funeral and among other things he was telling me about the early days of his…

The Board of the National Piping Centre are seeking applications for the post of Director of Piping to replace Roderick MacLeod, hitherto ‘Principal’ of the Centre, who is leaving the organisation in May. The advert reads: ‘The National Piping Centre (NPC) is a charity established to promote and encourage the study of the music and history of the Highland Bagpipe….. The new Director will lead the continuing development of the…

Following on from our articles on the Ford Motor Company Pipe Band and the Detroit Highlanders, correspondent Steve Thomson has forwarded another great picture (above). Steve writes: ‘This one from a parade in Detroit in 1910. Not sure who the players are (perhaps some of your intrepid readers will assist?). At that time these are likely immigrant Scots. The local St Andrews Society here [in Detroit] was founded in 1849…

By The Editor The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association have been notified by the Office of Scottish Charities Register (OSCR) that they will be taking no action against the Association following allegations of impropriety. The RSPBA’s Board of Directors have today issued this statement: ‘Following our previous statement on 20th January 2020 regarding the articles in the national press and our discussions with the Office of Scottish Charities Register (OSCR),…

Further to our story on the Ford Pipe Band reader Steve Thomson has kindly done a bit of research on another ‘motown’ pipe band. Steve writes: ‘The march the Detroit Highlanders was composed by Archibald MacNeill (the blind piper) in Glasgow. The Detroit Highlanders were a very successful band on the Ontario games circuit during the 1930s and 40s that really put Detroit on the piping map. ‘The Pipe Major…