Cultural > Pipe band 

On 10 September 1946, Mr Fotheringham, Mayor of Johannesburg and member of the Governing Body, announced to the school Governing Body that he was prepared to present the school cadet corps with the equipment necessary to form a Pipe Band. He asked for the Governing Body's approval for his proposal.

The Fotheringham family were as Scottish as haggis and Mr Fotheringham naturally thought that the bagpipes would sound better than bugles. But not all the governors agreed.

E.C. Nelson, the secretary, reported the discussion rather cannily in these words: " … This suggestion met with a mixed reception, but, as most members lived at some distance from the school, the headmaster was asked to report on the matter at the next meeting .."

This must have been one of the very first decisions Mr Nitch, the new Headmaster, was required to make. He said "Yes" and in due course the school acquired its Pipe Band and the skirl of the pipes was heard on the heights of Houghton Ridge. Not all the Sassenachs who lived in the neighbourhood approved of the strange noises they now began to hear but they grew accustomed to them as the years went by.

Mr Fotheringham's gift to the school was a generous one. He gave twelve sets of pipes, kilts, head-dress and sporrans for a band of twenty-four - and a very smart turn-out it was. The Transvaal Scottish helped in every possible way by lending the services of Pipe-Major Ackroyd and giving the members of the band permission to wear the tartans of the regiment - Tully Bardine for the pipers and Athol Murray for the drummers.

It takes three years to train a school piper in the time available so it was not until 25 March 1950, that the Pipe Band made its first public appearance. There were deafening cheers as it marched and counter-marched on sports day, with Drum-Major P.J. Scott at its head.

Mr J. S. Fotheringham has gone down as the founder of the Pipe Band.

There was a patch in the 50's where there was talk of disbanding the Band. The then school Pipe Major John Farmer took it upon himself to ensure that this never happened.

The early sixties heralded a dedicated Piping Instructor, Sandy Mallen. Sandy Mallen coached the Pipers for a mammoth seventeen years, leading the Band through both weak and achieving years.

Sandy Mallen was succeeded by Pipe Major Christopher Mulinder in 1975 the then acting Transvaal Scottish Pipe Major. The Band continued to be successful in both competition and parade work and has done so to the present day.

The Band owes much to the Drummer Tutorship of Dez Fincia (ex Jocks), Dave Jeffrey (SA Irish), Clinton Mills (SA Irish), Matthew Buttle (ex K.E.S. and leading tip for the SA Irish) and at present Mark Gouvea (African Skye). In the nineties the Band enlisted a further Piping Instructor to help with the load, namely Terrence Hutton(Richmond Ave) and later Gordon Ridgard (Richmond Ave). Gordon moved to the U.K. and the present Piping Instructors are Pipe Major Craig Herwill (SA Irish) and Pipe Major Chris Mulinder.

The Bass section has been ably guided by Peter Davidson and Lynn Van Den Berg who was Peter's mentor.

The Band has had many successes as a Band and also on the Solo circuit. K.E.S. has been instrumental in promoting the playing of Piobaireachd which is the classical form of Highland Bagpipe music.

The Band can be proud of its Solo achievements as the Band has produced Pipers who now live in the U.K. and who are competing on the International circuit.

The School because of the Band also hosts a number of prestige Solo contests namely the Pipe Major George Ackroyd Memorial Presentation, The Sandy Mallen Memorial and The S.A.Solo Championship, The 100 Guineas.

Our Annual Junior Pipe Band Gathering is a Junior Graded Contest with Solo events.

The highlight of the Band's school calendar is the Armistice Parade in November which is often the First Parade for the newcomers entering into the Band. This is always an impressive affair featuring the haunting lament played by the Pipe Major which 2006 will feature James Addington, to end off the Dedication Service.