Methven Caledonian Pipe Band

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31011, 17 March 1966, Page 20

Methven Caledonian Pipe Band

QINCE it was formed in ° 1937 the Methven Caledonian Pipe Band has led the grand parade at the Methven show. Many of its members are members of the association and interested in its activities. The first drum-major of the band, Mr A. Geddes, was president of the association in 1933-34. The band has 10 pipers and seven drummers. Most of its members are farmers or farm workers. Some come from quite long distances to play. Some are from Ashburton and two drummers come from Mayfield. At present the base

drummer, Mr John Dickson, is from Albury. Mr John Dickson is a nephew of Mr G. N. Dickson, a farmer of Lyndhurst, a foundation member of the band who has been drummajor and has led the band for the last 20 years. He played in the 2nd N.Z.E.F. pipe band in Egypt and Italy during the war. The band has some women playears. Mr John Dickson has been playing in the place of Mrs Peter Ireland, and also in the band are Mrs P. Cameron, who before her marriage was Penny Grieve, the daughter of the

president of the Caledonian Society, and Miss S. Reid is also in the band. The pipers in the band wear the Cameron of Erracht tartan and the drummers the Hunting Stewart. After a break of about seven years the band attended the national pipe bands’ contest at Timaru this year where it gained two second places in the drum major’s display and in the dress competition. It also secured a fifth placing as well. Last month the Methven Caledonian Society, which

runs the band, organised a successful provincial pipe bands’ contest which was held on the Methven show grounds. A few are learning the pipes in the district and the band is hoping that it may gain some recruits from district boys who are members of the St. Andrew’s College band. In the accompanying photograph of the band are:—Back row, from left: J. Banks, G. Jamieson, W. Fraser, J. Dickson, R. Grieve, D. McKenzie, P. Ireland and G. Dickson (drum major). Front row, from left: D. Cretney, C. Wilson (pipe major), Mrs P. Cameron, Miss S. Reid, A. Dickson and B. Sauer.