The Holyoke Caledonian Pipe Band is a
pipe band
A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term pipes and drums, used by military pipe bands is also common.
The most common form of pipe band consists of a section of pipers playing the Great Highland bagpipe, a ...
based out of
Holyoke, Massachusetts. Founded in 1910, it is the oldest pipe band in continuous existence in the United States. A regular feature in the
Holyoke Saint Patrick's Day Parade
Holyoke Saint Patrick's Day Parade is hosted every year on the Sunday of the week of Saint Patrick's Day. Each parade usually attracts around 400,000 spectators from all over the United States of America. Past participants have included President J ...
since the first in 1952, the band also performs at
Smith College's annual commencement, as well as charity and private events.
The pipe band was first founded by two Scottish immigrants Bob Ramsay and Jim Robbie, soon after arriving in Holyoke, and was initially connected to the Holyoke Caledonian Benefit Club. The Caledonian club, established in 1879, was a benefit society dedicated to granting charity to their fellow Scots "in times of sickness and distress" and for the cultivation of
Scottish culture
The culture of Scotland refers to the patterns of human activity and symbolism associated with Scotland and the Scottish people. The Scottish flag is blue with a white saltire, and represents the cross of Saint Andrew.
Scots law
Scotland retain ...
, through the promotion of literature and the arts. The band would hold regular rehearsals on the top floor of their namesake
Caledonia Building in downtown Holyoke until 1966.
The band would make its first official appearance in Holyoke in the July 4th parade of 1910, with 8 pipers, 2 snares, and a bass drummer led by pipe major Ramsay, who went on to serve the band in this capacity until 1930. In their first appearance the pipe band wore no special uniforms or tartan.
Within the next year the band had taken up the
Ramsay Tartan, which it wore until 1935 when the
Gordon tartan was adopted, as this tartan was readily produced by a local Holyoke mill. From 1962 until today the band has worn the
Royal Stewart tartan
The Royal Stewart or Royal Stuart tartan is the best-known tartan retrospectively associated with the royal House of Stewart, and was also the personal tartan of Queen Elizabeth II. The sett was first published in 1831 in the book ''The Scottish ...
.
Early in the band's history, it inspired the creation of the now second-oldest continuously operating pipe band. The
Manchester Pipe Band, was established in 1914 after a visit from the Holyoke Caledonians and their bandmaster, which was said to have inspired several students in that city to start their own. Members of both bands have in the past competed jointly in Scotland in the
Cowal Games.
References
External links
{{external media, video
Holyoke Caledonian Pipe Band in 2019 St. Patrick's Day Parade Holyoke Media
Holyoke Caledonian Pipe Band official website
1910 establishments in Massachusetts
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Grade 4 pipe bands
Scottish-American culture in Massachusetts