C A P E  T O W N  C A L E D O N I A N  P I P E  B A N D

Clan Crest MacDonald - courtesy of www.scotclans.com

   GRADE IV

H i s t o r y:

Although we are not able to exactly say when the band was formed, a reasonable guess would be around 1921, for it was in 1924 when a Sir Peter Mackie Bart of Glenreasdell in Scotland (engraving on the pipe chanter stock ferrule 'photos to followd'), who we believe presented the Cape Town Caledonian Society Pipe Band with 12 sets Henderson bagpipes. Four of these sets are still in the band's possession, of which one of them is currently being played......85 years down the line.              

The band’s name has changed on a few occasions since its formation.                                                1921 – we assume the formation of the Cape Town Caledonian Society Pipe Band (engravings displayed on drone ferrules 'photos to followd') wearing the MacKenzie tartan.

In 1949, the word 'Society' was dropped from the band name, and so became the Cape Town Caledonian Pipe Band. The reason for this was that the band no longer was under financial control  of the Society.

On the 20th of June 1949, His Worship the Mayor of Cape Town, Councillor H.E. Gearing presented a Mace to the band to commemorate the City's official adoption of the Cape Town Caledonian Pipe Band - as can be seen below.

 


In 1980, Ted Hey, who served as Pipe Sgt for the Cape Town Highlanders during World War II, bought all the uniforms from the defunct Port Elizabeth City Pipe Band who wore the Ancient MacDonald tartan. He then recruited a few "retired" members of the Cape Town Caledonian Pipe Band and some youngsters he had tutored, to form the Cape Town Piping Society Pipe Band.

During 1981 negotiations to amalgamate both bands resulted in the Cape Town Caledonian Pipe Band becoming the Cape Town Piping Society Pipe Band - although the Callies band insisted that some part of their name be retained. This never materialized, and so in 1982 the new Cape Town Piping Society Pipe Band resulted, wearing the Ancient MacDonald tartan.                                                                                                                                                               It was in 1989 that the band changed from wearing Ceremonial dress to the more comfortable Argyle uniform, which is now the accepted dress of all civilian pipe bands worldwide.                                                                               In 2000, the band name changed back to the Cape Town Caledonian Pipe Band. This was a unanimous decision by all the band members at the band's AGM, as everyone felt we were not really a 'Piping Society' but a 'Caledonian' Pipe Band ready for some serious competitions.

The fact that pipe bands in Cape Town are rather isolated from the rest of the piping world, the Cape Town Caledonian Pipe Band is currently the only competing pipe band in Cape Town, and has developed a good name amongst all the other competing bands in South-Africa.

In 1997 the Cape Town Caledonian Pipe Band started to attend competitions, and to start off with, the band attended 5 graded gatherings that year - 4 up in Johannesburg and 1 at Amanzimtoti, and landed up winning Grade 3.  The band has made a conserted effort every year since then to attend as many gatherings as possible, obviously finance permitting,especially considering that it costs up to R30000 to attend one competition (being today's costs).        

Recently, the band competed at the Easter Cape Highland Gathering, 11th April 2009, in East London and walked away with almost every prize in the band and solo competitions !                                                                                      See results Eastern-Gathering 2009.    

The band still wears the Ancient MacDonald tartan today.      

 




 Previous Pipe Majors:

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Pipe Major Sandy Cruickshanks
Being a Pipe Major before the 2nd World War, it is believed that he could have been the first Pipe Major in the band. So we are probably looking at 1921 – 1930’s.

Pipe Major George ‘Knobby’ Clark R.M. (Royal Marines) (1930’s – 1970).

Pipe Major Ian MacPherson (1970)
Knobby Clark’s son in law, temporary took over the Pipe Major’s armband for a short period.

Pipe Major Ian Clark (son of P/M Knobby Clark) (1970 - 1973)
Ian then took over Pipe Major duties from Ian, also sometime in 1970 (not sure of dates).

Pipe Major Roger Hendry (1974 – 1981)

Pipe Major Ted Hey (1982)
– the same year, sadly, Ted passed away after playing at a Masonic function in Pinelands in December 1982.

Pipe Major Des Martin (1983 – 1987)
– eventually retired from piping in 2007.

Pipe Major Jim Wilson (1988 – 1999)

Pipe Major Tony Reis (2000 - ….)