tartan

Some historians believe that bagpipes originate from ancient Egypt and were brought to Scotland by invading Roman Legions. Others maintain that the instrument was brought over the water by the colonising Scots tribes from Ireland. Ancient Egypt does appear to have prior claim to the instrument however; from as early as 400 BC the ‘pipers of Thebes’ are reported to have been blowing pipes made from dog skin with chanters of bone. And several hundred years later, one of the most famous exponents of the pipes is said to have been the great Roman Emperor Nero, who may well have been piping rather than fiddling whilst Rome burned. Whilst historians can only speculate on the actual origins of the piob mhor, or great Highland bagpipe, it was the Highlanders themselves that developed the instrument to its current form, establishing it as their national musical instrument both in times of war and peace. In the Scottish Lowlands, pipers were part of the travelling minstrel class, performing at weddings, feasts and fairs throughout the Border country, playing song and dance music. Highland pipers on the other hand, appear to have been more strongly influenced by their Celtic background and occupied a high and honoured position. It is considered that by the 1700s the piper had started to replace the harpist as the prime Celtic musician of choice within the Clan system. Source: www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-Piob-...

‘Garth House’ was a grand home set in large, expansive grounds. Wickham Terrace soon developed into a very fashionable address as it was built along a ridgeline that provided views of the City and the Brisbane River. Most of these large, grand homes (eg. ‘Innisfail’) have been demolished as business premises replaced residences along Wickham Terrace. This residence underwent a number of ownership changes. Munce sold the property to draper Alexander Stewart on 29 May 1871. Being a Scottish migrant, Stewart was renowned for having his coachman wear full highland dress while blowing his bagpipes, on special occasions designated by Stewart. Source: heritage.brisbane.qld.gov.au/heritage-places/1626#:~:text....

Aimee Christine Rochester (1911-1959), daughter of Mr. Richmond Rochester Jr. and his wife, Aimee L. Gunning Rochester. Aimee Gunning's grandfather was Leland Stanford. Little Aimee became Aimee C. Muniz, and later Aimee McGregor. Her husband Austin Malcolm "Mal" McGregor (1892-1945) was a film actor. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_McGregor Here's her grave marker in Glendale (along with a photo of her as an adult): www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=77377805

Little Miss Aimee Rochester was the only bridal attendant at the wedding of Miss Louise Gardner, daughter of Mrs. C. F. Gardner, and Frederick Rodgers, son of the late Rear Admiral Frederick Rodgers, U.S.N., on December 29, 1917. There were no ushers and no reception. The wedding was a quiet one due to mourning. –The New York Times

The pipe band's origins are in the military, but are obscure as contemporary historical regimental records had no direct interest in piping, giving only hints at details. The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association maintains that the origin of military pipe bands are traced back to the early 1800s as soldiers tasked with keeping pace and morale on long marches with their respective regiments. The global spread of piping can also be directly attributed with British colonial expansion. Pipers and drummers in the employ of the British Army and Scottish emigrants brought with them traditional music and the culture surrounding the practice. The music played by pipe bands generally consists of music from the Scottish tradition, the Irish tradition and the Breton tradition, either in the form of traditional folk tunes and dances or popular music that has been adapted for pipes. Examples of typical pipe bands forms include marches, slow airs, jigs and reels, and strathspeys. In recent years there has been a great deal of emphasis placed on new forms, especially the suite. A good example of a suite for pipe band is Don Thompson's composition Journey to Skye (1987). In conventional pipe band music, each section of instruments has a different role in the music. Generally speaking, the pipers deliver the melodic and harmonic material, while the side drummers provide a rhythmically interactive accompaniment part. The tenor drummers provide rhythmic pulses and the bass drummer anchors the rhythms, providing a strong and steady beat. Pipe band uniforms vary from band to band. However, the typical uniform consists of a glengarry (cap), shirt, tie, waistcoat (vest), jacket, kilt, hose and ghillie brogues. Many pipe bands wear a tartan that may reflect the area the band originated from or the history of the band. Jackets and waistcoats are usually black, and shirts are often short-sleeved for comfort. Each band also has its own tie, which can match the kilt tartan, or is sometimes merely a block colour. In competition, appearing smart in uniform is essential; some competitions have dress codes, for instance certain types of jackets only, ties must be knotted at the collar and so on. Pipe bands often vary the uniform worn, depending on the formality of the occasion. Very formal occasions require jackets to be worn, whereas less formal occasions do not, and only the waistcoat is worn. On semi-formal occasions, the jacket is not worn, but a long-sleeved shirt is worn under the waistcoat. This increases the formality of the outfit, but decreases the comfort. On occasion, no waistcoat is worn, in which case the shirt sleeve must be of long length. Pipe Major uniforms are usually different, to distinguish them from the other members of the band. More traditional highland dress may be worn, sometimes with a feather bonnet. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipe_band#:~:text=The%20Royal%20Sco....