Category: History

Retreat March/ BB King/ US Piping Foundation/ Highland Games

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The opportunity to travel and meet interesting people is just one benefit that accrues to we pipers over the years, be it as a soloist or as a member of a band. Such a trip came my way in 1998 (I think) as a guest member of the Lothian and Borders Police Band. We went to Rome to play at a concert at the Vatican. Apart from the interest any…

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VE Day Commemoration – Tears for Piper George Morrison, Black Watch

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One of the most touching moments in the VE Day commemoration concert at the weekend came when actress Jane Horrocks wept whilst reading the last letter home of Lieutenant George F Morrison of the 7th Battalion of the Black Watch.  Lt. Morrison was a piper and talks of going into battle ‘happy as a cricket’ with his ‘chanter in his knapsack’. He was from Crieff in Perthshire the son of Andrew…

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A Look Back at the 2000 Gold Medal

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Buy D Naill Standard Poly Practice Chanter (inc. any tax & mailing), from                         Still in ‘looking back’ mode, it is hard to believe that it is 15 years since Mike Rogers became only the second American in history – after Texan Mike Cusack – to win the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal. Mike R’s big day was…

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Worlds Tickets and Judges/ A Victorian’s View of Piping Part Two

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Tickets for the World Pipe Band Championships are now on sale and can be bought by clicking here. Grade 1 seating is £28. A quick look reveals the following additional info: ​ADVANCE TICKETS Friday 14  ​Saturday 15 ​Two-day  Adults​ £4​ £12​ ​£15 ​Children (6-15 years) and Concessions £2​ ​£7 ​£8 ​Family (2 adults & up to 3 children) £10​ £31​ ​£37 ‘All purchases are subject to transaction fees. See bottom…

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Historic Picture of Ontario Band/ MacGregor Memorial Competition

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The above photograph has been languishing in the PP files for some time and we wonder if any of our many readers in Canada can identify the band or the personnel. It is an historic photograph, 100 plus years old, and is dated on the back July 10th, 1914. The place is given as simply ‘eastern Ontario’. Interesting to check out the attire of the bystanders. Dress seems to have been…

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