Ex member Joe Noble was recently invited to judge the inaugural solo drumming competition for the Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands Association.

The competition took place on 1st September in Wellington.

Joe saying a few words before the winners are announced.

While on the North Island, Joe and his wife Lynn made time to visit ex-members Stewart Gorle and Bobby Turner.

Stewart lives in Tauranga with his wife Barbara, and Bobby lives on Waiheke Island off Auckland with his wife Marion.

Joe and Stewart.

Joe & Bobby Turner

Both Stewart and Bobby send their regards to the 214 ex-members and especially to those they played with in the pipe band.

Joe and Lynn left Auckland on 7th September, headed for Argentina where Joe will be involved in workshops with a band in Buenos Aires.

Hopefully we will see some more pictures and hear about Argentina.

Good to see the 214 is still involved on a worldwide basis.

Enjoy your trip Joe & Lynn.

John Courtney has advised me that his uncle James Courtney, passed away on 7th August at Clydebank care Home, where he was admitted to 3/4 weeks ago.

Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances, I have only just found out that his funeral was held this morning.

(Jimmy is sitting centre front of this picture at the 2004 Reunion at the OTC Hall at Glasgow University – click to view a larger version of picture)

Jimmy who was 94, was a regular attender to the reunions.

He had 4 brothers Willie, Tommy, John (Harry), who were older and a younger brother John.

He had previously been a Youth Leader at the Hub in Clydebank.

Jimmy was aye ready for a Scottish tune on his “moothie”.

I’m sure we all have a memory of him playing?

I remember him playing on the way back from the BB 125th Anniversary show at Braehead, he had the bus singing away as if everyone were back in their youth.

We all send our respects to John and Jimmy’s son James and all the family.

We are delighted to advise that we have received a new bespoke bagpipe recording!

Angus Laurie’s composition P.M. Alex MacIver has been recorded for us by Roddy MacLeod, Principal of The National Piping Centre.

It is apposite that he should favour us with his rendition of the tune.

Like ‘MacKeever’  Roddy was born of island parents, his mother was from Benbecula and his father from Ballalan in Lewis.

Ballalan is the next village, no distance from Laxay where Alex’ father was born.

Roddy fulfilled a role as one of The Lewis and Harris pipers under The Direction of ‘MacKeever’.

When Roddy published the first of what would become countless piping CDs it was Alex MacIver who wrote the sleeve notes.

Without doubt Roddy is a piper beyond celebrity!  When you add to this the fact that Roddy is married to the sister our own member John MacLeod, who was the last  piper recruited by Ian McLellan before he retired from the ‘Polis’ and that Roddy’s wife and her brother John are cousins of the four 214 BB’s McLennan brothers, all in all Roddy is practically one of our own.

For those who would like to know more about Roddy or to learn of his life in piping please check out his interview on Pipers Persuasion or indeed see the articles on The Kyle’s of Scalpay and The Two Alex’s where he is already referenced.

We regularly ask Ex Members to record Alex’ compositions and send them to us?

If you can and are willing, please do so, this allows us to bring the website to life.

(There are plenty of Alex’ compositions still needing sound files.)

click here to hear Roddy MacLeod playing PM Alex M MacIver

You may remember the tune was also recorded by Donald Black on the mouth organ.

click here to hear Donald Black playing PM Alex M MacIver

Three of our members recently competed in the Westerton Bowling Club 2018 Invitational Triples.

Dougy McColl, Iain Glass and Willie Ellis, dressed in their 214 ties enjoyed a great day.

Although they didn’t perform as well as last year, they held their own keeping the 214’s name in circulation.

Well done lads.

A new Article has been added to the site.

Dr John N MacAskill

I am sorry to intimate that our oldest Ex Member, Hugh McKinlay passed away on the 10th April aged 98.

Hugh and his brother John managed to attend the reunion 2 years ago.

Hugh was a bit of a character who loved his dancing and attending his beloved Royal British Legion at Knightswood.

Hugh was at school with Alex MacIver they were both pipers and both joined the Signals regiment.

Hugh taught German, Italian and Japanese code breaking during WW2, for the famous code breakers at Bletchley Park.

(The home of “Colossus” the British computer that broke the German Enigma files.)

This article appeared in the Daily Record last December.

(I managed to visit Bletchley Park last year where Hugh is recorded on the Roll of honour. I am currently in the middle of compiling an article on Hugh and Bletchley Park for the website.)

Funeral arrangements:-

Maryhill Crematorium

Monday 16th April at 3.15pm.

(Small chapel at the rear)

I’m sure all the ‘214 boys’ pass on their condolences to Hugh’s brother John and all the family.

Sure & Stedfast

Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate a suitable Friday evening to hold a rescheduled reunion, taking into account venues, caterer, location and budget.

Sorry for any disappointment this may have caused and hope to see as many as possible coming along next year, weather permitting.

If you have sent in a cheque I will be in touch soon.

I hear from Tom Connelly that Dr Ian McBain passed away on 1st of April 2018.

Ian lived in Elgin and managed to make it along to the annual reunion a couple of years ago.

He had a brother Gordon who was also in the company, (who passed away about 5 years ago)

I reckon Ian would have been around 75 years old. (My mother was his Sunday School teacher).

The family lived in Primrose Street.

He was heavily involved in amateur dramatics and could never manage along, as shows always clashed with the April date.

I have no details regarding his funeral, if anyone needs them or has any other information regarding Ian please contact me by email.

Regards

Alan

Due to the extreme weather conditions hitting us now & over the next few days, we have taken the decision to postpone this years reunion.

We are hoping to rearrange, so watch this space.

Juggling possible dates, caterer and venue may cause us a headache but that’s our problem.

We had confirmed 44 attendees for Friday 2nd of March and there were about 12 regulars who couldn’t manage along. So maybe we could still beat the magic 50.

Take care out there and keep warm.

Click here to see STV news report.

Sorry to advise that Sheila Finlay (John Finlay’s wife), has passed away.

Dan Finlay (John’s cousin) advises us that Shiela passed away yesterday, he thought in Hairmyres Hospital.

Her funeral is at Daldowie on

Wednesday the 14th February at 12.45.

There are no further details beyond that she had become very unwell and was in hospital for about a fortnight.