Robert Reid
Robert Reid was born at Slamannan in Stirlingshire on the 16th March, 1895. It has been said that Robert was born to the sound of the pipes as his father was playing at the time, and that he had a chanter in his hands before he was an hour old.
Robert Reid was proud of his origins and in his later years when ridiculing the suggestion that a great piobaireachd player must be able to speak Gaelic he used to say, 'They claim that you have to be born in the shadow of a towering mountain. Well I was born in the shadow of a towering coal byng.' Another often quoted remark of Robert's was, 'Piping is a disease for which nobody has found a cure.'
The young Robert and his brothers Jim, Sandy, Tom and Willie were all pipers but Robert showed the most promise. He was taught by his father until the age of twelve when he became a pupil of John MacDougall Gillies, who was teaching many of the top players at that time. Robert's association with Gillies was to last 18 years until Gillies died in 1925. Robert began competing after becoming a pupil of Gillies' and in 1911 he won 3rd prize in the confined piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering. In 1913 he won the March at the Northern Meeting.
On leaving school in 1909 Robert's first job was touring Europe as a boy dancer with a Highland ballet group. After this, in 1911 he spent a year working in the pits with his father then in 1912 he went to Canada where he worked as a miner at Lethbridge and Medicine Hat.
Robert Reid was born at Slamannan in Stirlingshire on the 16th March, 1895. It has been said that Robert was born to the sound of the pipes as his father was playing at the time, and that he had a chanter in his hands before he was an hour old.
Robert Reid was proud of his origins and in his later years when ridiculing the suggestion that a great piobaireachd player must be able to speak Gaelic he used to say, 'They claim that you have to be born in the shadow of a towering mountain. Well I was born in the shadow of a towering coal byng.' Another often quoted remark of Robert's was, 'Piping is a disease for which nobody has found a cure.'
The young Robert and his brothers Jim, Sandy, Tom and Willie were all pipers but Robert showed the most promise. He was taught by his father until the age of twelve when he became a pupil of John MacDougall Gillies, who was teaching many of the top players at that time. Robert's association with Gillies was to last 18 years until Gillies died in 1925. Robert began competing after becoming a pupil of Gillies' and in 1911 he won 3rd prize in the confined piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering. In 1913 he won the March at the Northern Meeting.
On leaving school in 1909 Robert's first job was touring Europe as a boy dancer with a Highland ballet group. After this, in 1911 he spent a year working in the pits with his father then in 1912 he went to Canada where he worked as a miner at Lethbridge and Medicine Hat.
Reid had been a boy piper in the 5th HLI (TA) under Gillies and on the outbreak of war in 1914 he returned to Scotland and re-joined the regiment. He served in Egypt. Palestine and France, was torpedoed in the Mediterranean and took part in the march from Kantara to El Arish for which Willie Ferguson composed a famous march.
After the war he took over the band of the 7th HLI and was Pipe Major from 1920 to 1940.
He returned to competitive piping at this time, winning the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting in 1921, the Strathspey and Reel in 1931, his first Clasp in 1922, followed by five more wins in later years, plus four wins in the Former Winners' March, Strathspey and Reel. At the Argyllshire Gathering he won the March in 1921, the Gold Medal and the Strathspey and Reel in 1922 and the Open Piobaireachd six times from 1923 onwards. At Cowal he set up a record, winning the piobaireachd from 1923 to 1928 and from 1930 to 1938.
In 1920 he was a founder member of the Scottish Pipers' Association and he served as President from 1939 to 1948 and again from 1954 to 1956.
Soon after the war Reid went to work for the bagpipe maker R. G. Lawrie Ltd. Then in 1932 he set up his own bagpipe making business at 60 George Street. In 1933 he published a small collection of pipe music, The Piper's Delight.
During the Second World War Reid served as a sergeant with the 83rd Anti-Aircraft (RA) as a small arms and drill instructor, returning to his business in 1945.
Among Robert Reid's pupils were Robert G. Hardie and William Connell who both learnt pipe making as well as piping in Reid's shop.
Robert Reid retired from his business on 31st May 1957 after suffering a coronary but made a good recovery and continued to play and judge. He had another spell of illness in 1964 and spent some time in hospital but again seemed to make a good recovery.
At the Scottish Pipers' Association dinner in March 1965 he joked that the three worst things that happened in his lifetime were the First World War, the Second World War and the three weeks he spent in Robroyston hospital. He judged at several games during that summer and officiated for the two days of the Cowal Games just before his sudden and fatal heart attack on the 31st August 1965.
After the war he took over the band of the 7th HLI and was Pipe Major from 1920 to 1940.
He returned to competitive piping at this time, winning the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting in 1921, the Strathspey and Reel in 1931, his first Clasp in 1922, followed by five more wins in later years, plus four wins in the Former Winners' March, Strathspey and Reel. At the Argyllshire Gathering he won the March in 1921, the Gold Medal and the Strathspey and Reel in 1922 and the Open Piobaireachd six times from 1923 onwards. At Cowal he set up a record, winning the piobaireachd from 1923 to 1928 and from 1930 to 1938.
In 1920 he was a founder member of the Scottish Pipers' Association and he served as President from 1939 to 1948 and again from 1954 to 1956.
Soon after the war Reid went to work for the bagpipe maker R. G. Lawrie Ltd. Then in 1932 he set up his own bagpipe making business at 60 George Street. In 1933 he published a small collection of pipe music, The Piper's Delight.
During the Second World War Reid served as a sergeant with the 83rd Anti-Aircraft (RA) as a small arms and drill instructor, returning to his business in 1945.
Among Robert Reid's pupils were Robert G. Hardie and William Connell who both learnt pipe making as well as piping in Reid's shop.
Robert Reid retired from his business on 31st May 1957 after suffering a coronary but made a good recovery and continued to play and judge. He had another spell of illness in 1964 and spent some time in hospital but again seemed to make a good recovery.
At the Scottish Pipers' Association dinner in March 1965 he joked that the three worst things that happened in his lifetime were the First World War, the Second World War and the three weeks he spent in Robroyston hospital. He judged at several games during that summer and officiated for the two days of the Cowal Games just before his sudden and fatal heart attack on the 31st August 1965.
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