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The Peoples Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band is a pipe band from West Lothian, Scotland which formed in 1972. The band has competed in Grade 1 since being promoted to that level in 1980.

Throughout its competitive history, the band had not won the World Pipe Band Championships until 2023, though it has been runner up four times and has won the drum corps prize 6 times to date under Tom Brown MBE and his son Gordon Brown.

History

In 1972, a few townspeople of Boghall in West Lothian decided that they would try to form a pipe band. An advertisement was put in the local newspaper for young people wanting to learn the pipes or drums, and a group of primarily young players began practising at a Bathgate school. As with many youth bands, numerous adults and committee members from the community were necessary to keep the band running during its early years.

The band rose quickly through the lower grades and a Novice grade band was created in 1977 to handle additional youth who were joining the band. By 1978, the original band had won the Champion of Champions title in Grade Two while the Novice band was upgraded to Juvenile.

The senior band was promoted to Grade 1 in 1980, and throughout the subsequent decade its drum corps won every single major drumming prize. The band as a whole proceeded to win the Scottish, British and European Championships during that decade.

Band

The Pipe Major of the band is Ross Harvey, who joined the band in 1994 and became pipe major at the end of the 2015 season. The Leading Drummer is Kerr McQuillan.

Performances

The band travelled to Ontario in 2013 for the 50th anniversary of the Cobourg Highland Games, to compete and perform in concert. Individual members of the band have also been successful in solo competitions.

Results

The band has won awards in Grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well as at Juvenile and Novice Juvenile levels.

Pipe Majors

• Bobby Allan (1972)
• Kenny Watson (1972)
• Bob Martin (1972–1986)
• Craig Walker (1986–1996)
• Ross Walker (1996–2015)
• Ross Harvey (2015-2024)
• Calum Watson (2024- )

Leading Drummers

• Melvin Sim (1972-1974)
• David Steadman (1974-1978)
• Tom Brown (1978–1992)
• Gordon Brown (1992- 2022)
• Kerr McQuillan (2022-)

Discography

• Debut Album (1984)
• The Rubik Cube (1989)
• Inspired in Belfast (2001)
• In Concert (2004)
• Forte (2013)

External links

• Official website
• Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band at AllMusic

References

1. "Tom Brown awarded MBE for services to pipe band drumming". Retrieved 15 August 2020.
2. "Faculty". Winter Storm. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
3. ^ "History". Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
4. "History / Peoples Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band". Peoples Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
5. "Boghall and Bathgate star in Canada!". Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
6. "Boghall & Bathgate coming to Cobourg, IndiOntario, in June". pipes – drums. 2 December 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
7. "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all at Boghall and Bathgate!". Peoples Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
8. "Awards". Peoples Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
9. "Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia 2013 Results". RSPBA. Retrieved 25 December 2013.

• Musical groups established in 1972
• Grade 1 pipe bands
• Scottish pipe bands
• 1972 establishments in Scotland
• Bathgate