Category: Comment

Statement from RG Hardie & Co. on the Company’s History, Products and Trade Marks

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One of our advertisers, RG Hardie & Co.Ltd., has issued the following statement after reports concerning their company history, products and trade marks appeared on the internet: ‘Seasoning was a product sold by R.G.Hardie from 1950 to 1966 but the firm’s offering was  considered inferior to the ‘Airtight’ brand sold by James Robertson’s Bagpipes Ltd., Edinburgh. In 1966 James Robertson was acquired by R.G.Hardie and all bagpipe-making machines were transported…

More Statement from RG Hardie & Co. on the Company’s History, Products and Trade Marks

History: Tales from the Castle and P/M Willie Ross

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If, like many, you enjoy piping history, you will read the following with avidity. It is from P/M Sandy Hain, formerly of Fife and now domiciled in Ohio, USA. Sandy ‘did the course’ at the Army School of Piping, Edinburgh Castle, 1950 -51. He has many stories of his time there with P/M Willie Ross, great piper and a great character (as you will see). We asked Sandy if he would…

More History: Tales from the Castle and P/M Willie Ross

PP Editor’s Blog: Gold Medal Lists/ George Cruikshank/ Gordon Duncan Concert etc

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The PP database of Gold Medallists at Oban and Inverness has now been updated and includes all of the tunes played by all of the winners since the competitions resumed after WW2. The lists make very interesting reading and show a remarkable breadth of tunes played. When we consider that at the turn of the last century there were probably no more than a handful of tunes heard round the Highland games…

More PP Editor’s Blog: Gold Medal Lists/ George Cruikshank/ Gordon Duncan Concert etc

PP Editor’s Blog: CPA Gradings/ Guide to the Games/ Gordon Recital/ Winter Storm/

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Gradings for 2016 have been issued by the Competing Pipers’ Association to all their members. These are important for those wishing to gain places to play at Oban and Inverness. The promoters at both need to squeeze a lot of events into two days and as a result have to restrict numbers in the Gold & Silver Medals. Last year thirty got to play at Oban and 25 at Inverness….

More PP Editor’s Blog: CPA Gradings/ Guide to the Games/ Gordon Recital/ Winter Storm/

PP Editor’s Blog: Willie Paterson/ Clan MacRae Soc./Jim Cunningham/ Fife Police/ Reid’s Sticks

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Drummer Willie Paterson featured in a photograph of the Rutherglen Pipe Band (in pic below, top right in civvies) a few weeks ago. An old edition of Pipe Band magazine has this about him: ‘Not a great deal is known about Willie’s early days in the pipe band movement. ‘Alex McCormick met up with him in Glasgow in the early 1940s and they remained friends for many years. A very knowledgeable…

More PP Editor’s Blog: Willie Paterson/ Clan MacRae Soc./Jim Cunningham/ Fife Police/ Reid’s Sticks