In 1921,
Sir James Craig, who later became Prime Minister of the Stormont Government was invited to Kilrea to inspect a large parade of '
B' Specials. This parade was led by
Cullybackey Pipe Band, and the people of Kilrea were so impressed by the playing and Deportment of the band that they decided to form a pipe band of their own, thus Kilrea Pipe Band was born.
Their first Pipe-Major was a veteran piper from the Scotch Craigs, Cullybackey, ( The Pipe Major could have been a Mr McCloy, who retired in the late 1920's) who faithfully attended the practises weekly, mostly coming on his bike or on horseback!. If the weather was very poor the Lodge paid a taxi-driver to Mr James Glass of Church Street to bring him to the rehersals.
The Tartan for the band cost £300 which was a huge amount in those days. It was the
Cameron tartan. Kilrea Pipe Band made their first public appearance on July 1st 1923. They played in their 'civvy' clothes and for the rest of their outings that year, in 1924, they turned out in their new Cameron tartan to the delight of their many supporters.
Kilrea Pipe Band 1920's (Earliest known photo)
The foundation members were:-
Drum Major :- Alex Holmes
Pipers :- John and James Gamble
Sam Kerr jnr
Bob and Hugh Peden
Tom and Bertie Woodend
Bobbie McKeown
William Mullan
John Crawford
Drummers :- W.J Mayberry
Sandy Graham
Teddy Woodend
Tommie McKeown
Bass Drummer :- Jack Holmes
The band was reorganised in the early 1930's owing to many of the original members having dropped out. New pipers were invited and the man engaged to tutor them was an army piper called Sammy Campbell of Upperlands. Some of those who joined the band at this stage were James McIlfatrick, Bobby hunter, David Paul and Bobbie Atkinson. Sammy Campbell soon returned to the army and Bob Peden then took over as Pipe Major until the outbreak of the Second World War when the pipes and drums fell silent until Victory Day.
Sammy returned to Army life and a young man called Bob Peden jnr took over as P.M. He had a good musical ear and was able to get a good sound from the Bagpipes.
Kilrea Orange Hall 1948
Back Row :- Archie McMaster, Bobbie McMaster, Andy Alexander, John Gamble, Bob Peden
Middle Row :- Stewart Proctor, Tommy Blair, John Kilpratrick, James McIlfatrick, Allen Proctor, Ronnie Mcfadden
Front Row :- Nan Peden, Norman Graham, Sammy Holmes, Don Proctor, Bertie Murphy, John Alexander, Sandy Graham, Jean Kennedy
On resumption of activities, John Gamble took over as Pipe Major. It was around this time that two young ladies, Nan Peden and Jean Kennedy were introduced to the band and a number of other young pipers joined the ranks, the McMaster brothers(Archie, William and George), the Proctor brothers(Stewart, Don and Allen) plus Ronnie McFadden and Tommie Blair. Bobbie and Norman Graham joined their father Sandy as Drummers along with John Alexander. Andy Alexander took over from William Stinson as Drum Major. The Tenor Drummers were Sandy Holmes jnr and Bertie Murphy. Don Proctor became an ace performer on the Bass Drum.
The band members formed a fund-raising commitee in 1946 to gain funds for purchasing new items of uniform. They travelled to neighbouring towns and marched the local country roads playing and collecting and took delivery of Royal Stewart kilts and shawls in 1949. The bands original bagpipes were replaced in early 1954. After sets of Robinson and Sinclair pipes had been sampled, twelve sets of
Ivory Mounted Robertson Bagpipes(still in use) were ordered. New dark green tunics, waistbelts and crossbelts were purchased in 1958.
Kilrea Orange Hall, 1957
Back Row :- Ivan Gimore, Bobby Graham, Ivor Lennox, Allen Proctor
Middle Row :- Andy Alexander, John Gamble, Mac Armstrong, Stewart Proctor, Jean Kennedy, Ernie Gimore, Bill Smyth, Tommy Blair, Don Proctor
Front Row :- Bertie Murphy, Robert Graham, William Gamble, John Alexander (Absent: Jim Glass and Tommy Gamble)
The band members set their sights in the 1950's on the contesting arena and gained promotion from Grade 4 to Grade 3 in their firstseason in 1957. John Gamble handed over to Allen Proctor in October 1960. In twenty years as Pipe Major, Allen saw the band climb the heights of success in the competition field throughout Ireland and Scotland. One noteable change in uniform came in early 1961 when the band was one of the first in N.Ireland to purchase a full set of twenty feather bonnets. New black tunics were purchased in 1977.
Kilrea Orange Hall, 1959
Back Row :- Arthur McKay, John Gamble, Ivan gilmore, Allen Proctor,
Middle Row :- Andy Alexander, John Walker, Andy Wilson, Jean Kennedy, Bill Smyth, Tommy Blair, Don Proctor
Front Row :- John Alexander, Ernie Douglas, Bertie Murphy, William Gamble, Billy Douglas, Wilfred Holmes
