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Ingersoll Pipe Band

Volume 6 Issue 1 May 2015

Parade Season Has Arrived!

Monday May 18th arrived warm and sunny in Southwestern Ontario! So there was no need for rain capes or jackets. We kicked off our 2015 parade season in grand style with a full complement of pipers and drummers for the annual Woodstock Victoria Day parade. The City of Woodstock was celebrating its 68th anniversary of Victoria Day weekend festivities and this year’s parade featured10 marching bands. In keeping with tradition, the Ingersoll Pipe Band led the way from the Woodstock Fairgrounds at 10 AM into

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Your Editor, Veronica

Inside This Issue

Pg. 1 Parade Season

Pg. 2 PM’s Message / 2015 Executive & Committees

Pg. 3 January & February IPB Activities

Pg. 4 / 5 Clean Up Photos & Extras

Pg. 6 /7 / 8 John Lynes’ Photo Gallery

Pg. 9 Drum Major’s Trip to Scotland

Pg. 10 - 13 Remembering PM Tom Johnston

Pg. 14 / 15 Upcoming Events

the western entrance of Southside Park. (According to Google Maps that march was about 2.5 km!)

And then it was time to grab a bite of lunch and head off for Thamesford and the Calithumpian Days Celebrations.

The weather continued to heat up and band members doffed their vests as the 1 PM parade time approached. More IPB pipers and drummers arrived to take part in the festivities. It was also a day of some firsts: Aurora Vanderwoude and Doug Glover took part in their drumming debuts!

Aurora getting ready to head out on parade in Thamesford.

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D

Doug traded in his pipes for a snare drum! Congrats “Drummer Boy” on your first parade.

A Message from Our Pipe Major

Like the song title says, "I Love A Parade". If you think about it, where else can you go and get paid and possibly fed all at the same time? Parades not only promote the band and the town of Ingersoll, they expose us to the different people and communities, which in turn develop into other possibilities. Trips to United States, Taiwan and Scotland have come about due to exposure from parades. Parades also pay for the various band equipment and uniforms. The only time the”Love Affair” with parades wanes is when the temperature drops. My excitement to parade drops proportionally. See you at the next parade.

Jack

Congrats to: Aurora Vanderwoulde and Christina Breen on their participation and placement in the recent Kiwanis Music Festival in London. Way to go, Lassies!

Executive & Committees 2015

At the annual general meeting in January, the Election of Officers took place for 2015. The results are as follows:

EXECUTIVE:

President – Chris Radford Vice President – Doug Glover Treasurer – Jane Muterer Secretary – John Lynes Quarter Master - Dave Kincaid Assistant Quarter Master – Laurence Marson Canteen Convenor – Jon Arthur Attendance Officer – Nancy Matthews Publicity Officer - Veronica Jackson

COMMITTEES & CHAIRS: Stag Night - Gail MacKay Burns Night - Jane Watt, Mary Ellen Muterer, Veronica Jackson Picnic - Mary Ellen Muterer, Jane Muterer, Joanne Muterer Golf - Don Gale Reunion- Jon Arthur, Mary Ellen Muterer, John Lynes Christmas Banquet – Chris Radford Long Range Planning - Jack Habkirk, Jon Arthur, Doug Collins, Juanita Radford, Laurence Marson WWI Observances - Chris Radford, Jack Habkirk, Gail MacKay

IPB Monthly Meetings?

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January - Robbie Buns Dinner

2015’s Burns Dinner was a “sold-out” event, and once again thanks goes to the organizing committee (Wilson, Jane, Mary Ellen). From the haggis makers, to the bar attendants, the cooks, servers, performers, setter uppers and cleaner uppers the evening required a huge amount of volunteers! This event was a major fundraiser for the band and it was greatly appreciated when everyone contributed to its amazing success. Below is Wilson McBeath reciting the time honoured “Oath or Address to A Haggis” written by Burns in the late 1700’s. The last stanza -

(Broad Scots Dialect)

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,

And dish them out their bill o' fare,

Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware,

That jaups in luggies;

But, if ye wish her gratefu’ prayer,

Gie her a Haggis!

(English Translation) You Powers who look after mankind,

And dish out his bill of fare,

Old Scotland wants no watery, wimpy stuff

That splashes about in little wooden bowls!

But, if You will grant her a grateful prayer,

Give her a Haggis!

Alister, Wilson & Chris paying homage to

IPB’s Haggis.

r, Wilson & Chris gave homage to

IPB’s ceremonial haggis.

February – Curling

The Ingersoll District Curling Club and Thames Centre were officially named hosts of the event billed as “The Clash on the Thames” – the Ontario Men’s Curling Championship. A request was made to the pipe band to have pipers available daily during the week long bonspiel. So a schedule was organized and pipers took part in the daily ceremony of escorting onto the ice, competing teams from around Ontario. Nancy managed to get a couple of photos, of her sons, Alister and Hamish Matthews, as they took part in this huge local event that drew thousands of spectators to Dorchester.

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LOOK

March Madness – Hall Clean-Up!

Saturday March 14th

There was no shirking of our duties. It was time for IPB members to come together and begin an early spring clean up both in and outside of the Hall. Here’s a collection of photos of our busy bee workers as they took up the challenge to get everything in top notch shape again. No stone was left unturned in our housekeeping endeavours, (well almost no stone.)

Chris doing snow removal

Jane and Jerry dusting the band room windows

Ron and Mary Ellen getting set to clean

Steve and John inspecting hall carpets.

Joanne attacking the hall windows John, Aurora and her sister at work Doug tackling the band room

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Some More Photos to Share

Have pipes will travel!

Check out the photo below of Hamish playing at a local establishment in Yelapa, Mexico during March Break. He entertained the patrons as well as performed at a wedding reception!

The Energizer Mc Bunny! Here’s a photo of Wilson McBeath attending the St. Andrew’s Dinner with his daughter, Mary in Embro a few months ago. This man never sits still!

Grandpa Warren For those who missed the March email, here's a photo of Warren holding his new granddaughter.

Congrats to IPB piper Matt, the proud dad!

Jack busy with the vaccuum

Mary Ellen shampooing carpets

Jerry assisting with carpet clean up

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John Lynes' April/May Photo Gallery

Unfortunately John broke his right wrist and was unable to sit at the chanter table and practice with us for a few weeks. The good news was despite his injury, he was able to capture some great shots of band members hard at practice on a couple of different Thursday nights.

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Battle of Britain Ceremony Ingersoll

Sunday September 14th

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Off to Scotland

- by Drum Major, Gail MacKay

Marlene and I were off to Scotland for two weeks at the end of April. We left home during a cold spell but were lucky enough to reach Scotland during an unusually warm spell for the area. There was only two small bouts of rain during the whole two weeks. Our trip was centered around Masonic buildings and meetings as well as sightseeing. If your legs or feet were in a bad state, they didn't get any better after climbing many old castles and churches. Many of the buildings have become ruins but are now tourist sites. It's almost unbelievable that these buildings were built hundreds of years ago but are still in good enough shape to still be noticeable as great buildings made of stones and some large timbers.

We visited three Masonic Lodge meetings and found many similarities with our own lodge meetings. One particular lodge building was built in the 1600's and still was in good shape. It had an organ that was powered by a bellows that was pumped by hand! The other feature that was different was the fact that there, after lodge meeting, bar was actually right in the Lodge Room. A visit to Rosslyn Chapel was a highlight of the tour. Rosslyn Chapel, formally known as the Collegiate Chapel of St Matthew, is a 15th-century chapel located at the village of Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland.

(Editor - Some background information - The chapel became the subject of speculation regarding its supposed connection with the Knights Templar or Freemasonry beginning in the 1980s. The topic entered mainstream pop culture with Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code (2003), reinforced by the subsequent film of the same name (2006). Numerous books were published after 2003 to cater to the popular interest in supposed connections between Rosslyn Chapel, Freemasonry, the Templars and the Holy Grail generated by Brown's novel. The chapel, built 150 years after the dissolution of the Knights Templar, supposedly has many Templar symbols, such as the "Two riders on a single horse" that appear on the Seal of the Knights Templar.)

We certainly had our fill of fish and chips and found them very tasty but expensive ($28). Over all our trip was great and we even got to taste some good Scotch whiskey during three visits to local distilleries!

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An Ingersoll Pipe Band Founder Remembered

The Ingersoll Pipe Band 1910 to 2010 (The First 100 Years Are The Hardest) that was printed on IPB's 100th anniversary in 2010 was dedicated to James Little, Jack Little, William Collins, James Vance and Pipe Major Tom Johnston the "original" band members. Last year we highlighted William Hanna Collins. In this edition of our newsletter we feature Pipe Major Tom Johnston.

Thanks goes out to to Vicki Wahl, Library Technician at the Ingersoll branch of the Oxford County Library for her assistance with the research.

From the 1901 Scotland Census (prior toThomas’ emigration to Canada)

Name: Thomas Johnston

Age: 26

Est. Birth Year about 1875

Relationship: Head

Spouse's name : Eliza Johnston

Gender: Male

Where born: Dumfries, Dumfriesshire

Registration #: 864

Registration

district: Dalbeattie

Civil Parish: Urr

Town: Dalbeattie

County: Kirkcudbrightshire

Address: 9 Burn St

Occupation: Plumber

ED: 3

Household

Sched.# 40

LINE: 19

Roll: CSSCT1901_437

Household

Members:

Name Age

Thomas Johnston 26

Eliza Johnston 24

John Farrow Johnston 3 Months

William Farrow 13

Pipe Major Tom Johnston 1914

Insignia of the Oxford Rifles

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The attestation paper was a personal information form that volunteers for the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) completed during the enlistment process throughout the First World War.

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The following information was transcribed from the obituary for Pipe Major Johnston printed in The Ingersoll Tribune – The death of Pipe Major Thomas Gordon Johnston, at an early hour on Monday morning, June 26

th (1939) climaxed an illness of over a year and a half’s duration. Deceased who was in his

65th year, suffered a stroke several months ago, but at various times during that period had been able to be up and around and on June 7th, during the visit of Their Majesties to Ingersoll, he was able to be taken to the C.N.R. station grounds and given a preferred place to view the reception held for the King and Queen. The late Mr. Johnston was born in Dumfries, Scotland and came to Ingersoll about 28 years ago to make his home. He was brought here especially to organize the Noxon Company Band and did a splendid job in that respect, he having served previously as Pipe Major in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers. When the Great War broke out, nearly the entire personnel of the band enlisted with the 168th Battalion and went overseas with that unit. Mr. Johnston was transferred to the Black Watch, after going overseas and was made a Pipe Major in that Band. He had the distinction of being the Pipe Major to lead the Canadians into Mons on the morning of Nov. 11th, 1918 when the Armistice was signed.

Scene in Mons, Belgium when the Canadian army arrived in 1917 shortly before the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Crowds welcomed the Canadian soldiers who were piped through the streets by Canadian pipers. (AP Photo) http://www.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/wwi/westernfront2/

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The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)

badge and tartan

Active 1 July 1739 – 28 March 2006

Country

Kingdom of Great Britain (1739–

1800)

United Kingdom (1801–2006)

Branch Army

Type Line Infantry

Role Light infantry

Size One battalion

Part of 19 Light Brigade

Garrison/HQ Fort George, Inverness

Nickname

"The Forty Twa"[1]

"Black Jocks" (slang term used by

members of other regiments)

"Ladies from Hell"

Motto

(Scotland's) Nemo me impune lacessit

Latin: "No One Provokes Me With

Impunity"

March

Quick: "All the Blue Bonnets are o'er the

Border"

Slow: "The Garb of Old Gaul"

Pipes & Drums Quick: "Hielan' Laddie"

Pipes & Drums Slow: "My Home"

Pipes & Drums Slow: "Highland Cradle

Song" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Watch

After the war Mr. Johnston returned to Ingersoll and was active in the organization of the Ingersoll Pipe Band, which he served as Pipe Major until about three years ago. Under his leadership the Ingersoll Pipe Band won many honours and became known throughout Western Ontario. Mr. Johnston followed the trade of tinsmith and plumber in late years and was employed with the Noxon Company, previous to the Great War. He also resided in London and Windsor for a short time, but the greater part of his life in Canada had been spent in Ingersoll, where he had a wide circle of friends who will join in extending their sincere sympathy to his sorrowing widow and family. He was a member of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church and of King Hiram Lodge, No. 37, A.F. & A.M.

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From the pages of the Ingersoll Tribune 1965 -

One of Ingersoll’s oldest and most highly esteemed residents in the person of Mrs. Thomas Johnston passed away at the family residence, 101 King Street East, on Saturday, February 13, 1965. Mrs. Johnston who was in her 90

th year was born in Dumfries,

Scotland, the former Eliza Farrow, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Farrow and spent her early life there. In 1899 she married Thomas Johnston and resided in Delbeatie, Scotland, coming to Canada and Ingersoll in 1912 where she had since made her home. She was a member of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church and possessed a very quiet and unassuming nature which had endeared her to a large circle of friends. Her home and her family were her main interests. Her husband Pipe-Major Thomas Johnston, predeceased her in 1939. Left to mourn the loss of a dearly loved mother are three daughters, Mrs.C.E.Ledgley (Ciss), Windsor; Mrs. Gordon Karr (Kate), Detroit, and Mary at home; and three sons, John F. (Jack), Riverside; Thomas, Ingersoll; and Gordon of Kingston. Also surviving is one sister, Miss Sarah Farrow and one brother, Charles, both of Dumfries, Scotland, eleven grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. Mrs. Johnston rested at McBeath Funeral Home, 246 Thamse Street, South, where service was held at 2 o’clock with Rev. J. Douglas Gordon of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church officiating. There was a very large attendance of relatives, neighbours, and other friends. The Profusion of beautiful floral offerings and donations to the Ingersoll Kiwanis Club Crippled Children’s Fund were indicative of the high esteem and respect in which Mrs. Johnston was held. Temporary entombment was in the Ingersoll Mausoleum with interment later in the family plot in the Ingersoll Rural Cemetery. Casket bearers were: Bob Johnston, John Johnston, Tom and Bob Ledgeley, John Johnston all grandsons; and Chris Stoker, grandson-in-law.

Upcoming Events

Wilson McBeath’s 90th

Birthday

The McBeath family would like to invite all IPB members, associates, students and friends to join in the festivities when Wilson celebrates his 90th birthday on Saturday July 4th from 1 to 5 pm at the Ingersoll Pipe Band Hall. Where else would Wilson go to party?! It promises to be a fantastic event with lots of photos and time for reminiscing. And, we all know that Wilson will have the best memory of all of us when it comes to recounting events and putting names to faces. So please set this special Saturday afternoon aside. If you want any additional details email

Mary McBeath at mary_mama@yahoo.com

(Wilson’s recipe for longevity!)

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Upcoming Parades & Band

Events

Saturday June 6

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Tillsonburg – 8:45 pm

Friday June 19th

Ingersoll – around 9:30 pm

Saturday July 11

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Ingersoll Memorial Park

4:00 pm

Sunday July 19

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Delhi Cemetery – 2:40 pm

Saturday September 5th

Ingersoll Pipe Band Hall

(Details to follow) ***RESERVE THE DATE***

*If you have any ideas or photos for our next Summer Issue, please contact your editor,

Veronica Jackson. I can be reached by email at vjacksoningersoll@gmail.com . Thanks!