The present day World Pipe Band Championship was inaugurated by the then Scottish Pipe Band Association in 1947. Prior to that the winners of the Cowal Championship were considered World Champions.
The decision to break away from the Cowal tradition caused a great deal of controversy at the time but from its first year the RSPBA’s ‘Worlds’ has been un unqualified success. Each August it regularly attracts 30 – 40,000 people to its current home, Glasgow Green. It is watched by hundreds of thousands of people worldwide via the BBC’s livestreaming over the internet.
At home, recorded highlights of the championship attract upwards of 500,000 viewers on prime time television. Changed days from the shaky start at Murrayfield rugby ground in Edinburgh where the first contest was held, and a vindication of the bold initiative taken by the Association’s leading lights such as P/M Willie Sloan BEM (below) almost 70 years ago.
Pre the RSPBA Worlds we have the Cowal World Champions. They are:
1906 1st Vn. Bn Highland Light Infantry – P/M John MacDougall Gillies
1907 3rd Bn. Lanarkshire Vn. Regiment – P/M Edwin MacPherson
1908 5th Vn. Bn. Highland Light Infantry – P/M John MacDougall Gillies
1909 Stonehouse Pipe Band, Lanarkshire – P/M Hector McInnes
1910 5th Vn. Bn. Highland Light Infantry (2) – P/M John MacDougall Gillies
1911 5th Vn. Bn. Highland Light Infantry (3) – P/M John MacDougall Gillies
1912 5th Vn. Bn. Highland Light Infantry (4) – P/M John MacDougall Gillies
1913 7th Vn. Bn. Highland Light Infantry – P/M Farquhar MacRae
World War I 1914 -1918
1919 Edinburgh City Police – P/M Hugh Calder
1920 City of Glasgow Police – P/M William Gray
1921 City of Glasgow – P/M William Fergusson
1922 City of Glasgow (2) – P/M William Fergusson
1923 City of Glasgow (3) – P/M William Fergusson
1924 Millhall Scout Pipe Band – P/M George D MacDonald
1925 Clan MacRae Society – P/M William Fergusson
1926 Millhall Scout Pipe Band (2) – P/M George D MacDonald
1927 Maclean – P/M William Sloan
1928 Maclean (2) – P/M William Sloan
1929 Glasgow Corporation Tramways – P/M Gavin L Robertson
1930 Millhall Scout Pipe Band (3) – P/M George D MacDonald
1931 Glasgow Corporation Tramways – P/M Peter Fleming
1932 Clan MacRae Society (2) – P/M John F Nicoll
1933 Clan MacRae Society (3) – P/M John F Nicoll
1934 Clan MacRae Society (4) – P/M John F Nicoll
1935 Maclean (3) – P/M William Sloan
1936 City of Glasgow Police (2) – P/M John MacDonald
1937 City of Glasgow Police (3) – P/M John MacDonald
1938 City of Glasgow Police (4) – P/M John MacDonald
1939 City of Glasgow Police (5) – P/M John MacDonald
World War II 1939 -1945
1946 City of Glasgow Police (6) – P/M John MacDonald
The list of winners of the RSPBA championship in Grade 1 feature some of the greatest names in pipe band history. They are as follows:
1947 Bowhill Colliery, Murrayfield, Edinburgh – P/M Chris Sutherland
1948 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Glasgow, – P/M Tom McAllister Snr., B.E.M.
1949 City of Glasgow Police, Edinburgh, – P/M John MacDonald, South Uist
1950 Edinburgh City Police, Dundee – P/M Donald Shaw Ramsay
1951 City of Glasgow Police, Edinburgh – P/M John MacDonald, South Uist
1952 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Ayr – P/M Tom McAllister Snr., B.E.M.
1953 Clan McRae Society, Edinburgh – P/M Alex MacLeod
1954 Edinburgh City Police, Aberdeen – P/M Donald Shaw Ramsay
1955 Muirhead & Sons, Stirling – P/M Jackie Smith
1956 Muirhead & Sons, Belfast – P/M Jackie Smith
1957 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Paisley – P/M John K. McAllister
1958 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Aberdeen – P/M John K. McAllister
1959 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Kirkcaldy – P/M John K. McAllister
1960 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Inverness – P/M John K. McAllister
1961 Muirhead & Sons, Edinburgh – P/M Jackie Smith
1962 277 (Argyll & Sutherland Hders.) Field Regiment, RA (T.A.), Belfast – P/M John Weatherston MBE BEM
1963 City of Edinburgh Police, Dumfries – P/M Iain McLeod
1964 City of Edinburgh Police, Ayr – P/M Iain McLeod
1965 Muirhead & Sons, Forfar – P/M Robert G. Hardie
1966 Muirhead & Sons, Inverness – P/M Robert G. Hardie
1967 Muirhead & Sons, Oban – P/M Robert G. Hardie
1968 Muirhead & Sons, Grangemouth – P/M Robert G. Hardie
1969 Muirhead & Sons, Perth – P/M Robert G. Hardie
1970 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Aberdeen – P/M Tom McAllister Jnr.
1971 City of Edinburgh Police, Lanark – P/M Iain McLeod
1972 City of Edinburgh Police, Hawick – P/M Iain McLeod
1973 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Ayr – P/M Tom McAllister Jnr.
1974 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Stirling – P/M Tom McAllister Jnr.
1975 Lothian & Borders Police, Corby – P/M Iain McLeod
1976 Strathclyde Police, Hawick – P/M Ian McLellan BEM
1977 Dysart & Dundonald, Aberdeen – P/M Robert T. Shepherd MBE
1978 Dysart & Dundonald, Lanark – P/M Robert T. Shepherd MBE
1979 Strathclyde Police, Nottingham – P/M Ian McLellan BEM
1980 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Glasgow – P/M Tom McAllister Jnr.
1981 Strathclyde Police, Aberdeen – P/M Ian McLellan BEM
1982 Strathclyde Police, Glenrothes – P/M Ian McLellan BEM
1983 Strathclyde Police, Glasgow – P/M Ian McLellan BEM
1984 Strathclyde Police, Glasgow – P/M Ian McLellan BEM
1985 Strathclyde Police, Hamilton – P/M Ian McLellan BEM
1986 Strathclyde Police, Glasgow – P/M Ian McLellan BEM
1987 78th Fraser Highlanders (Canada), Glasgow – P/M William Livingstone
1988 Strathclyde Police, Glasgow – P/M Ian McLellan BEM
1989 Strathclyde Police, Glasgow – P/M Ian McLellan BEM
1990 Strathclyde Police, Glasgow – P/M Ian McLellan BEM
1991 Strathclyde Police, Glasgow – P/M Ian McLellan BEM
1992 Field Marshal Montgomery, Glasgow – P/M Richard Parkes MBE
1993 Field Marshal Montgomery, Glasgow – P/M Richard Parkes MBE
1994 Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia, Glasgow – P/M Robert Mathieson
1995 Simon Fraser University (Canada), Glasgow – P/M Terry Lee
1996 Simon Fraser University (Canada), Glasgow – P/M Terry Lee
1997 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Glasgow – P/M Robert Mathieson
1998 Victoria Police (Australia), Glasgow – P/M Nathaniel S. Russell
1999 Simon Fraser University (Canada), Glasgow – P/M Terry Lee
2000 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Glasgow – P/M Robert Mathieson
2001 Simon Fraser University (Canada), Glasgow – P/M Terry Lee
2002 Field Marshal Montgomery, Glasgow – P/M Richard Parkes MBE
2003 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Glasgow – P/M Robert Mathieson
2004 Field Marshal Montgomery, Glasgow – P/M Richard Parkes MBE
2005 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Glasgow – P/M Robert Mathieson
2006 Field Marshal Montgomery, Glasgow – P/M Richard Parkes MBE
2007 Field Marshal Montgomery, Glasgow – P/M Richard Parkes MBE
2008 Simon Fraser University (Canada), Glasgow – P/M Terry Lee
2009 Simon Fraser University (Canada), Glasgow – P/M Terry Lee
2010 St Laurence O’Toole (Eire), Glasgow – P/M Terry Tully
2011 Field Marshal Montgomery, Glasgow – P/M Richard Parkes MBE
2012 Field Marshal Montgomery, Glasgow – P/M Richard Parkes MBE
2013 Field Marshal Montgomery, Glasgow – P/M Richard Parkes MBE
2014 Field Marshal Montgomery, Glasgow – P/M Richard Parkes MBE
2015 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Glasgow – P/M Ryan Canning
2016 Field Marshal Montgomery, Glasgow – P/M Richard Parkes MBE
2017 Inveraray & District, Glasgow – P/M Stuart Liddell
2018 Field Marshal Montgomery, Glasgow – P/M Richard Parkes MBE
2019 Inveraray & District, Glasgow – P/M Stuart Liddell
2020 No contest: Covid-19 pandemic
2021 No contest: Covid-19 pandemic
2022 Field Marshal Montgomery, Glasgow – P/M Richard Parkes MBE
2023 Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia, Glasgow – P/M Ross Harvey
Hi I’m looking for some information on a band my dad played with, they were called forge wood pipe band from Motherwell area , I think they won at Cowal in 1984/85 in there grade but can’t find any information on it , if anyone could guide me in right direction I’d be very grateful
Thanks Callum Campbell
In 1952 Kelty & Blairadam pipe band under the leadership of P/M James Yardley won 3rd place in the “Open Category” The last time any band was allowed to step up to the top grade. No doubt the R.S.P.B.A. didn’t like the idea of a grade two band obtaining one of the top prizes. Sad but 100% true.
The World Pipe Band Championship HAS-BEEN an undoubted success in the past but,
dare it be suggested that :-
1. The 9.00pm finish to the finale of recent ‘Worlds’ is not appreciated,
2.The weird outcomes which seem to be much more common these days eg. in 2018 the Grade 2 outcome may I suggest, requires a closer examination. Perhaps an independent assessment may be the only answer, since the current hierarchy of the RSPBA seems unwilling to carry out an adequate review of anything let alone a competition which carries the status of ‘The Worlds’ or a ‘Major Championship’.
Any thoughts on the above, for or against, will be welcome. Better still when we meet tell me face to face.
I’d like to know if anyone familiar with the photo of the 277 can identify the piper Alec Price? I played in the City of Thorold Pipe Band ( Ontario, Canada) with Alec during the mid 1980’s and into the early 1990’s. Great chap…..chain-smoking king of the one-liners!!!
I’d like to find a photo of my fathers band 277 A&SH on the field at the worlds when they won in 1962 if anyone has it. They made a record after but he isn’t on the cover photo as he was out of the TA by 1963.
If you send me an email I have a couple of pictures that might help
Regards
John
There are a lot of recordings tucked away in various places of many of these world championship runs. Gathering them in one place, especially the early ones, would be a real service.