Thurso Pipe Band

Thurso Pipe Band was formed in 1913 and are still going strong over 100 years on. The band plays at various events throughout the summer.

When a few pipers and drummers from the Volunteer pipe band, later known as the Territorial Army Band, got together in 1913, Thurso Pipe Band was born. The driving force behind this initiative was Alex Mackay of the St Clair Hotel in Thurso who went onto become the bands first Pipe Major. In those early days the Band had little in the way of funds to kit out it’s members and had to rely on public contributions to scrape together sufficient funds to purchase ex-Army kilts and jackets. The kilts were Mackenzie tartan and the Band has retained this tartan throughout its 102 years history. To ensure that the band looked as good as they sounded the Khaki tunics were dyed black. The early years proved to be very successful but when war broke out in 1914 a number of the members were called up for active service. However, those that remained kept the band alive throughout the war years. In 1918 Donald Swanson took over as Pipe Major. A few years later the band had sufficient funds to purchase their first uniform. They retained the Mackenzie tartan and had black tunics for the pipers and drummers. The drummers wore Glengarries whilst the pipers wore Glengarries with blackcock feathers. Belt buckles, sporran tops and broaches of a matching design provided the finishing touches. The first mace was hand-made by Willie Coghill, a drum Major in the band. It was made from a paperweight depicting a stag’s head, a leg of a chair and a broom handle, by all accounts it looked like the real thing. When John Macdonald of Achnavast took over as pipe major in 1923 it started an unbroken 71 years reign of the same Macdonald family holding the post of Pipe Major. In fact the family connection with the band goes back even further, John’s cousin Charlie joined the band as a piper in 1916. John continued as pipe major until 1938. Another successful public appeal for funding to purchase new uniforms was made in 1935. The new uniforms were worn for the first time at the Pipe Band Ball held in the Territorial Army Hall in Sinclair Street, at one time the highlight of Thurso’s social calendar. In 1938 John handed over the reigns to his brother Peter who continued as pipe Major until 1965, apart from the Second World War when the band was disbanded. The band practised and stored their equipment in the Town Hall, contrary to many beliefs the Band room was not named after the pipe band but after the local brass band that also practised there. Unfortunately, a fire in the Town Hall resulted in the equipment and the uniforms being destroyed much to the disappointment of the band members. When the Band reformed after the war in 1947 another public appeal was made to replace the equipment lost in the fire. The total cost of kitting out the Band at that time is believed to be around £800, just enough to kit out one member today. At the end of the war, A Canadian Band disbanded and sold their drums to Potters of Aldershot thus allowing the Thurso Band to purchase them second-hand. A Mrs Laurie gifted the first set of leopard skins worn by the band after she emigrated back to South Africa. During the 1950’s the drummers changed their headgear from the Glengarries to feathered bonnets and green hackles, and they still wear them to this day. After 1947, under the leadership of Peter MacDonald, the band competed in championships with a fair degree of success. They were crowned champions at the inaugural event of the North of Scotland Pipe Band Championships held in Inverness. On the same occasion Drum Major Robert Hood won the Drum Major contest. The Band had many successes at the Dornoch Games, winning first prize on many occasions. The Invergordon Games attracted all of the top bands in the north of Scotland and it is some measure of their ability when the records show that the Thurso Band took the honours on seven occasions. From 1965 to 1967 Robbie MacDonald succeeded his cousin Peter as pipe major. After just two years with the band Robbie joined the Invergordon Pipe Band that went onto win the European, British and Scottish Pipe Band Championships under Pipe Major Donald Shaw-Ramsay. Robbie’s departure to Invergordon in 1967 gave his brother Sandy the opportunity to continue the MacDonald reign as Pipe Major of the Thurso band. The band continued to take part in major championships and competed regularly at the World Championships and the renowned Cowel Games. Sandy finally retired in 1994 bringing to an end the long MacDonald family connection with the band, spanning over 70 years.


In 1994 the pipe major role was taken over by Staurt Webster. In 1997 Staurt handed the reins over to Kevin Gunn, Under the leadership of Kevin the band seen an upsurge in younger members joining. Kevin went on to hold the role of Pipe Major for the next 12 years, on which he was succeeded by Alan Plowman in 2009, who led the band until 2012. Andrew Harvey was then elected to the role of Pipe Major, While Andrew was pipe major the band became 100 Years old in 2013. Andrew stood down as Pipe Major at the end of the 2015 Season. Mark Moodie and Robbie Campbell are the current Joint Pipe Majors of Thurso Pipe Band, the Drum Sergeant of the band is Nicol Simpson. The band continues to flourish under their leadership, playing on Princes Street in Thurso during the summer months from June to September which proves very popular with tourists and the general public. The band also plays at galas, Highland Games and events throughout the North of Scotland while providing their services free of charge for a number of charities.


The highlights of the band have been their trips to Brilon in Germany Thurso's twin town in 2002 & 2005, New York Tartan Week in 2004, The Cadans Festival in Markello, Holland in 2009, The Pan Celtic Festival in Carlow, Republic of Ireland in 2013 & The St Gallen Tattoo in Switzerland in 2016.


The band played at the opening and closing of the Royal National Mod which was held in Caithness for the first time on 16th October 2010.

Over its 100 years the band has been indebted to the people and businesses of Thurso, Caithness and beyond for their help and support to keep the band running and making it a success.