thurso pipe band

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 80 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.