Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band was formed in 1910 under the leadership of Pipe Major Dugald MacFarlane, under very humble circumstances indeed in that the band practiced in the kitchen of his home, a room and kitchen in a miner’s row known as a ‘But and Ben’. So conscientious were they that within four years, by hard work and perseverance, they purchased their first uniform of McKenzie tartan and from then on entered for every competition available without success, until in 1929 when Pipe Major Tom McAllister took charge, from whence they went on from one success to another to win the grade 2 championship in 1935.
Upgraded to grade 1 in 1936, they won on their very first appearance the British Championship and from then onwards, honours came to them hard and fast culminating in the coveted World Championship in 1948 and again in 1952. Of the records available, Tom gained 50 firsts, 20 seconds, 8 thirds and various other prizes including his major championships which were 5 British, 4 Scottish, 2 Worlds, 3 Cowal and 7 European. He was also chieftain of the Shotts Highland Games in 1981 at the age of 86 and was awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to piping. In 1947, Tom along with his 3 sons John, Willie and Tom Junior won the Quartette piping at the Scottish Pipe Band Association indoor competition in Glasgow.
With all those achievements to his credit, Pipe Major McAllister retired in 1954 and was succeeded by his son John Kerr McAllister who ably supported by Drum Major Alex Duthart, added many more prizes to the already long list of successes and to create a record ‘at the time’ by winning the World Championship four years in succession from 1957 to 1960. In 1959, the band won the ‘Grand Slam’; that is Scottish, British, European, Cowal and World Championships, which was the year before the Champion of Champions table was started. In 1963, the band suffered a major blow when a considerable number of it’s personnel, both pipers and drummers decided to leave. Among these was Alex Duthart, whom everyone knows was partly responsible for the overall success of the band. John supported by Drum Major Willie Stevenson was faced with the task of restoring the band by recruiting young and inexperienced players. Again records are incomplete, but to his credit, John gained 44 firsts, 20 seconds, 11 thirds and various other prizes including the majors of which he had 9 British, 5 Scottish, 4 Worlds, 4 Cowal, 4 European and 4 Champion of Champions. In 1968, Pipe Major J.K. McAllister was forced to resign from the band partly through ill health and partly due to his commitments to the S.P.B.A. He was succeeded by his younger brother Tom McAllister Junior.
In 1969, Drum Major Stevenson reached the pinnacle of his success by winning the World Championship at Perth. In 1970, he relinquished his position of leading drummer to allow Alex Duthart to take over the corps. The band by this time was back in the winning path and since then have added to their honours with many successes including the 1970, ‘73, ‘74 and 1980 World Championships, this year being the Jubilee year of the R.S.P.B.A. Tom’s record has been 69 firsts, 50 seconds, 34 thirds and various other prizes including 6 British, 4 Scottish, 4 Worlds, 4 Cowal, 5 Europeans and 4 Champion of Champions. Tom left the band at the end of 1984 due to ill health and his role was ably filled by Pipe Major James A. Bell (Sandy Bell as he is better known) for the following 2 years.
In 1982, Alex Duthart again left the band and his position was taken by Drum Major John Scullion. John won the World Championship in 1984 and left the band in 1986. Drum Major Arthur Cook took the corps for the 1986 season.
At the end of 1986, Pipe Major Robert Mathieson was asked to join the band, which he accepted and brought with him Drum Major Jim Kilpatrick as leading drummer. Both were former members of the band and were hoping to bring back success to the band.
In 1987, a Champion of Champions table was started for drumming and since then, the corps has won it on 13 occasions. They also won the World Championship for 11 consecutive seasons, 1988-1998, a record which is unlikely to be beaten.
Since Pipe Major Mathieson has been in charge of the band, he has always kept the band in the top 6 of the Champion of Champions table and in 1994, he won his first World Championship, winning both the Medley and March, Strathspey and Reel sections, another first for the band as we were the only band to have acheived this. Robert’s record to date includes 7 British, 5 Scottish, 3 Worlds, 3 Cowal, 6 European and 8 Champion of Champions.
The name of Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band is synonymous with pipe band excellency and treated with the greated respect by all in the piping fraternity throughout the world. They have competed and performed in Canada, U.S.A., Sweden, Germany, France, Belgium and even the U.S.S.R. all with distinction and pride as ambassadors for Shotts, Scotland and the United Kingdom and are classed as one of the finest combinations of pipes and drums in the world. |
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