The Historical Newsletters page has been updated with the release of archival B.C. Pipers’ Newsletters from 1976.
Besides the regular news of competitions and results, BCPA Life Member Bill Elder has compiled the following interesting news of that year:
- Donald Morrison from Aberdeen to judge the 44th Annual Gathering
- Letter about the formation of the Delta Police Pipe Band a year earlier, under PM Bruce Topp
- More letters about the Institute of Piping and certification of piping teachers
- Note about the City of Port Moody PB disbanding
- Note on Katie Forsyth and Sheila Roane, lead drummers of the Vancouver Ladies and Burnaby Ladies PBs, playing with the Muirhead & Sons and Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia PBs
- A third proposal to develop a new Hall for Scottish societies, to be located in Burnaby or New Westminster
- Rules and Regulations for individual Piping and Amendments to the Bylaws adopted by the BCPA
- New events: Athena Caledonian Games (Athena, Oregon, to celebrate US Bi-Centennial) and Western Canada Summer School of Highland Dancing, Piping and Drumming in Courtenay, BC with R.G. Hardie and Robert Barr as chief piping and drumming instructors
- Several letters challenging the priorities of the B.C. Pipers
- Results and judges’ comments on the 44th Annual Gathering.
- Hal Senyk wins the first BCPA trip to Scotland prize for capturing the Annual Gathering Professional Piping Aggregate (he subsequently wins 4th in the Jig event at the Northern Meeting)
- Tune, Donald Ross of Vancouver by Donald Morrison
- Trio Knockout winner was Triumph Street consisting of Hal Senyk, Angus Macpherson and Ian Whitelaw
- Fall, winter and spring amateur competitions for 1976/77 to revert back to Bi-Monthlies after dismal numbers using the Mini-Gathering format
- John MacLellan retires as Director of the British Army School of Piping at Edinburgh Castle
- Triumph Street PB releases their first album
- Explanation on Piobaireachd playing by Jimmy McColl. His marching performance of “The Red Speckled Bull” in the Annual Gathering Professional Piobaireachd event sparked significant discussion
- World, Cowal, and European Pipe Band Championship Results
- C.P. Air Pipe Band wins the Grade 2 Cowal Pipe Band Championships and European Pipe Band Championships
- Triumph Street Pipe Band places 4th in the Grade 1 European Pipe Band Championships, marking the first time a BC Grade 1 band had cracked the prize list at a RSPBA Championship.
- Results of the Northern Meeting and Argyllshire Gathering. Jack Lee places 5th in the Marches event at the Argyllshire Gathering
- Jack Lee steps down as Pipe Major of the C.P. Air PB to concentrate on university studies and solo piping
- Announcement of the formation of the Triumph Street Junior Pipe Band
- Editorial critical of the Board of Directors, Board removes the Editor of the Newsletter, Editor responds in a letter mailed to all members, paid for by the Newsletter team members
Please note: During the 4 years from 1976 to 1979 the numbering system for the Newsletters became a little erratic. We will print copies in the order that we think is correct. If anybody has Newsletters from this era and notices a missing issue, please let us know.
