The Piping Encyclopaedia

BAILLIE, Frank
Prominent in piping in the Newcastle area of New South Wales in the second half of the 1900s. Pipe Major of the Cardiff RSL Pipe Band and also prominent as a solo piper and later judge.
Composed;
‘Maureen Baillie’, ‘Mrs Cicely MacNeill’, ‘Pipe Major Bill Boyle’s Ceilidh’

BAIN, Andrew
Won the Open Piobaireachd at the London Scottish PS contest in 1956.

BAIN, Donald
From Ashburton, New Zealand although his family originated from Caithness.
He was the most prominent pupil of David and William Boyle (see both) who was his major influence, and went on to become the greatest New Zealand piper of all time.
He moved to Scotland in 1966 to study Piobaireachd under Donald MacLeod, staying for two years. In 1967 he was very successful around the Highland Games circuit winning events at Balloch, Ballater, Caol, Crieff, Birnam and Aboyne as well as at the Argyllshire Gathering (Strathspey & Reel) and Northern Meeting (Strathspey & Reel, and March). In 1970 he spent more time in Scotland, this time winning the Highland Society of London’s Gold medal for Piobaireachd at Inverness.
An extremely modest and humble man, he nevertheless possessed a legendary sharp wit.
His service to piping in his native New Zealand as well as Australia was huge and he was in constant demand as a tutor. He also gave instruction to many private pupils including Murray Henderson, Greg Wilson, Richard Hawke and Bruce Campbell (all see).
Major Solo Prizes
Northern Meeting
Gold Medal 1970

BAIN, Peter (died 1975)
A native of Skye, he enlisted in the Scots Guards, later becoming Pipe Major of the Holding Battalion in 1941. In October of that year was appointed P/M of the 4th Battalion. In 1944 he was transferred as Pipe Major to the 2nd Battalion where he remained until his discharge in 1945.
He was a pupil of William MacDonald, Lairg (see) and later taught Iain MacFadyen (see).
Prominent prize winner of the 1930s.
Composed Scorrybreck Falls.
Major Solo Prizes
Northern Meeting
Gold Medal 1934
Argyllshire Gathering
Gold Medal  1946
Strathspey & Reel 1935

BALLANTINE, John
Piper in the Atholl Brigade during the ‘45. Taken prisoner at Carlisle and tried for treason but later acquitted.

BALLOCH, John 1860-
Famous as the composer of two superb Marches, ‘The 25th’s Farewell to Meeruit’ and ‘Auchmountain’s Bonnie Woods and Glens’.
In 1878 he enlisted as a piper in the 79th Highlanders and while with his regiment he fought at the Battle of Tel El Kebir. In 1886 Balloch transferred to the Kings Own Scottish Borderers as pipe major where he stayed until his eventual discharge in 1899. On his retiral from the Regular Army he became P/M of the 5th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders but on the outbreak of war in 1914 he re-joined the Regular Army and at the age of 54 was made pipe major of the 8th KOSB in France where he remained until invalided home in 1918.
Major Solo Prizes
Northern Meeting
March: 3rd 1891

BALNEAVES, Robert
Recorded as a piper and also Burgess of Perth in 1506.

BANKS, James
Pipe Major in the Scots Guards who enjoyed success around the piping circuit in the 1970s including the Argyllshire Gathering where he won the March (1974), the Strathspey & Reel (1979) and the Former Winners March Strathspey & Reel (1979).
Lives in Fife and is a regular solo piping judge.

BANNATYNE, Dr. Charles
Lived in Holytown, Lanarkshire. A prominent member of the Piobaireachd Society in the first quarter of the 20th century. He collaborated a lot with David Glen, one of the most overlooked of all the piobaireachd collectors. He also acquired the MacKay and MacArthur Manuscripts in 1904 from the MacCarfrae family, selling them both later to the Piobaireachd Society.
Composed ‘The Blackbird’ and ‘The Brolum’.

BARNES, David
Served as a Military bandsman in the Royal Scots during the 1970s while he also played pipes in his father’s (see John) Grade 1 band, Polkemmet. Also pipe major of Lothian & Borders Police, Polkemmet and Dysart & Dundonald Pipe Bands in Scotland and Queensland Police Pipe Band in Australia. Currently a schools instructor with Edinburgh Schools.

BARNES, John
Long serving Pipe Major of the Grade 1 Polkemmet Pipe Band. Father of David Barnes (see).

BARNES, Robert Smart
From Keltie, Fife and a cousin of Davy Barnes (see). A pupil of Jimmy McIntosh he served in the Queens Own Highlanders from 1976 until 1979. After leaving the British Aamry he became Pipe major of the Sultan of Oman’s Royal Band (North) and while on leave continued his successful solo competition career winning placings in the Gold Medal events at both Oban and Inverness.
Major Prizes
ARGYLLSHIRE GATHERING
Silver Medal 1978
March 1979
NORTHERN MEETING
Silver Medal 1977

BARRIE, Bill
Studied piobaireachd with both John MacDougall Gillies and Robert Reid, both champions of the Cameron style.
Father of Jim (see).

BARRIE, Jim
From British Columbia, Canada. Taught from the age of five by his father Bill (see), a pupil of Robert Reid.
When he was a teenager his family moved to New Zealand and he later became pipe major of the Auckland Police Pipe Band. Known as a prolific composer of music for bagpipe and accordion.

BAYNE, James
A former pupil of Jimmy MacGregor and one of the top young generation of players in the 1980s. Won the Strathspey & Reel at the Northern Meeting in 1986.
BEATON, Farquhar (1896-?)
Born in Edinburgh but later emigrated to North America where he became famous as pipe major of the 48th Highlanders of Toronto from 1899 until 1913. While with them he composed the popular 6/8 March ‘Colonel Robertson’ and ‘The 48th Highlanders’.

BEATON, Lewis F
From Glasgow. Taught in the 86th BB and on the outbreak of war in 1914 he enlisted as a piper in the Cameronians. Pipe Major of the 7th Battalion Cameronians until 1918. In 1924 he moved to London where he helped to found the London Scottish Pipers Society in 1932.

BEATTIE, Alexander
Pipe Major of the 2nd Battalion Cameron Highlanders from 1902 until 1908, the 3rd Battalion from 1908 until 1914 and the 5th Battalion from 1914 until 1916.

BEGG, James
A Glasgow-based pipe bag maker who also played with the-then Grade 1 British Caledonian Airways Pipe Band.

BELL, Alexander (Sandy)
Became pipe major of the Grade 1 Shotts & Dykehead Pipe band in 1985, serving until 1988 when he was succeeded by Robert Mathieson.

BELL, George M (1926-2010)
From Glasgow. Taught by Robert Hardie before emigrating to USA in 1950s where he became prominent as a piper, pipe major, tutor and judge.

BERTHOFF, Andrew. (Born 1963)
Born in St Louis, Missouri although a long time resident of Toronto where he has played with the Grade 1 78th Fraser Highlanders. Prior to that he played with Polkemmet Pipe Band in Scotland from 1984 until 1987. Controversial editor of the Canadian magazine Piper & Drummer for a number of years.
Major solo prizes
Northern Meeting
Silver Medal 1984
Piobaireachd Society Canada
Gold Medal 2000

BOA, William
Piper to Mr JH Dixon
Won the Piobaireachd at the Northern Meeting in 1888.

BOWMAN, D
Composer of the excellent 6/8 March, ‘The Bonawe Highlanders’.

BOYD, Ewan
Taught originally in South Uist by Pipe Major Roddy Gillies (fotmer Cameronians and Royal Scots). A well known piping teacher in Edinburgh and also shop manager for Bagpipes Galore in the Royal Mile.

BOYLE, David
One of the group of pipers who formed the super band of the 1960s, Invergordon Distillery under Donald Shaw Ramsay. Also played in the Lothian & Borders Police Pipe band and later was instructor to the Sultan of Oman’s Royal Band. Composed ‘The Redundancy’ after the break-up of Invergordon.

BOYLE, William (1929-1980)
Born in Kaiata, he became the most prominent New Zealand piper of his generation. Later he moved to Christchurch. He received his early tuition from his father and then at 14 went to his grand uncle, David Finlay. In 1952 he became pipe major of the City of Christchurch pipe band and then later the New Zealand Scottish who were NZ champions under his leadership in 1961.
In 1978, as a guest piper with the Queensland Irish, he came to Scotland for the first time and competed at the Northern Meeting where he took 4th in the March and 2nd in the Jig—on a plastic chanter. He also taught Donald Bain and Murray Henderson (see both).