Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band

Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band
Established2007
LocationFife, Scotland
Grade1
Pipe majorDavid Wilton
Drum sergeantMick O'Neill
TartanCarnegie of Fife

The Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band is a Grade 1 pipe band from Fife in Scotland, established in September 2007.

History

The band was established in September 2007 as the Fife Constabulary Pipe Band, and was placed in the Grade 1 by the RSPBA the following February. Their first competition, at the Dunbar Highland Games in May 2008, saw them awarded first prize.[1]

In August of the same year they made their first appearance at the World Pipe Band Championships and gained entry into the Grade 1 final, having achieved second place amongst fourteen bands in the morning's qualifier round.[2]

In September 2008, the drum corps was replaced by that of the Clan Gregor Society Pipe Band, resulting in the disbandment of the Clan Gregor band.[3]

The first Pipe Major was James Murray, with Andrew Mathieson starting as Pipe Sergeant, both having left Grade 1 band Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia.[4] When James Murray announced he was resigning due to emigrating to Australia, Mathieson took over as Pipe Major.[5] Andrew Mathieson stepped down in July 2013, citing time constraints as a result of increasing family commitments and his work with the junior band so Douglas Murray took over the band as Pipe Major.[6][7]

Following the merger of Scottish territorial forces and the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency into Police Scotland, the band's name was changed from the Fife Constabulary Pipe Band to the Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band.[8]

In 2018, the Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band celebrated its 10th anniversary as a band with a concert hosted by Bucksburn & District Pipe Band in the Beach Ballroom, Aberdeen which was named 'A Decade on the Beat'.[9]

Results

The band received its first placing in a Major championship when in 2011 it was placed 6th in the Scottish Pipe Band Championships.[10][11]

In 2012 and 2013, the band was placed mid-table in most of the Major championships.[12][13]

2018 has been the most successful season to date. The Band finished in the top 6 in all major championships, placed 6th at the Worlds with 3rd place in the MSR final and finished 5th in the Champions of Champions table for 2018.[14] [15]

Pipe Majors

  • James Murray (2007-2009)
  • Andrew Mathieson (2009-2010)
  • Douglas Murray (2010-2021)
  • David Wilton (2021- )

Leading Drummers

  • Lee Innes (2007 - 2008)
  • Mick O'Neill (2008- )

Drum Majors

  • Senior Drum Major Thomas Richard Lorenzen (Aug 2015 - )
  • Drum Major Lauren Hanna (Nov 2022 - )

References

  1. ^ "Fife Police Pipe Band Win First Prize". fifedirect. 22 May 2008. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  2. ^ "Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band Results 2008". RSPBA. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  3. ^ "Clan Gregor collapses". pipes - drums. 3 October 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  4. ^ "Murray, Mathieson to head up new Fife Constabulary Pipe Band". pipes - drums. 24 August 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  5. ^ "Murray to move to Oz; Mathieson new Fife P-M". pipes - drums. 27 September 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Murray takes over Police Scotland Fife". pipes - drums. 4 July 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  7. ^ "Change of Pipe Major". Central Fife Times. 24 July 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  8. ^ "Fife latest band rebrand for police amalgamation". pipes - drums. 22 February 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  9. ^ "Ten spotlight for Fife Police in Aberdeen". www.pipesdrums.com. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band Results 2011". RSPBA. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  11. ^ "Police band pipe major beats the retreat". Fife Today. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  12. ^ "Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band Results 2012". RSPBA. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  13. ^ "Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band Results 2013". RSPBA. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  14. ^ http://www.rspba.org/results/displaybanddetail.php?Year=2018&Band=Police Scotland Fife
  15. ^ "RSPBA - The Heart of the Pipe Band World". www.rspba.org.