We continue with our illuminating article on Charles Keene, 1823 -1891 (above), the Victorian illustrator, piper and contributor to the satirical magazine ‘Punch’…. In George Somes Layard’s book ‘Life & Letters of Charles Keene of Punch’, Keene is asked ‘Have you mastered the practice stick? Glen in his ‘Complete Tutor for the Great Highland Bagpipe’ tells us the practice chanter is more difficult to blow from having no reservoir of…

I have always been interested in the Victorian illustrator Charles Keene, 1823-1891.  One of his cartoons [above] appears in Manson’s ‘Highland Bagpipe’ book. The caption reads, ‘Mr McSkirlinguy beguiling the time with some cheerful pibrochs on his national instrument’, whilst in the adjacent train compartment we have ‘Mr Southdown (travelling north with his family by the Night Mail), ‘Dear, dear, dear! What a shame they don’t grease the wheels of…