article of his work, be it a complicated design or a mere "keep off the grass" notice until he himself was fully satisfied with it; regardless of any appeals to expedite delivery, for he could be obstinate too.

Perhaps he was not so well known to the present generation of QVS boys but he had served the School well, in several different capacities, for a good part of a long working life. His most recent jobs, before retirement, being part time batman and Tuckshop manager. He was proud of his Service in the RAF, and often referred to it. Since losing his wife, and sons being out in the world, he had, perhaps, some feeling of loneliness, but his gentle manner and ready smile won him many friends and acquaintances in the School and also in the local community, in which he had many interests and contacts. He was a good man, a humble generous-minded man. and the School owed him much.

Sovereign’s
Pipers

by
PIPE MAJOR JOHN  MacLELLAN

Queen Victoria was the first sovereign in relatively modern times to have a personal piper and indeed she went so far as to ensure that he also had an assistant. In 1842 she visited the Marquis of Breadalbane at his home in Taymouth Castle which stands at the head of Loch Tay in Perthshire where she was much impressed by John Ban MacKenzie who held the position of 1st Piper to Breadalbane. John Ban appeared before her in full Highland costume, his breast glittering with his many prize medals and playing the gold mounted bagpipe provided by Campbell of Breadalbane for the use of his chief piper. The Queen was much taken by John Ban, for apart from his magnificent appearance his playing was superb, and on her return to Windsor Castle she wrote to Breadalbane saying she wished to have a piper on her household establishment and would his Lordship find for her a piper like MacKenzie. Breadalbane offered the post to John Ban who declined saying "I do not want a better master than yourself." The Queen, on hearing that MacKenzie would not join her service wrote once more to Breadalbane, this time saying she would be happy to accept John Ban's son Donald into her service instead, but Donald's mother decided he was much too young to leave home as he was only ten years old, but wbs already quite an accomplished player. (He was the Northern Meeting prize pipe when aged 15.)

 It was in the following year that the Marquis of Breadalbane was able to recommend to Her Majesty that Angus Mackay (Raasay) who had been Piper to Campbell of Islay join her service. Angus composed the Piobaireachd Farewell to the Laird of Islay in 1840, although he was being still described in July 1841 as Piper to the Laird of Islay, but it was in 1843 that Angus Mackay became Piper to Queen Victoria and the first personal Piper to the Sovereign. He remained in her service until 1854 when he developed mental trouble and had to go into hospital, firstly in London and later in the Crichton Royal Institute, Dumfries, where in the records it is noted that "He had delusions of grandeur and he also maintained that he was related to the Royal family". On 21st March, 1859, he ran away from the hospital and while attempting to cross the river Nith was drowned. Much has been written elsewhere about the piping achievements of Angus Mackay and it will be sufficient here to say that but for him piping today would have been much poorer. His Manuscripts are the backbone of most of our published Piobaireachd music.
There is a little confusion as to who followed Angus Mackay as piper to the Queen. Robert Meldrum in his reminiscences says that the Prince Consort on hearing of Mackay's death sent to the 79th for the black bearded Pipe Major (Hardy, a native of Skye), and that Hardy was dismissed for thrashing two English footmen who had been making fun of his highland accent. William Ross was appointed Queen's piper in 1855 and as Angus Mackay died in 1859 Ross was already in the post. There is no record in the Royal Archives of Hardy having been appointed to the Queen's service but this extract from her diary shows that he certainly was "Windsor Castle April 8 1864 . . Saw Mr Anderson about my band and how to replace poor Hardy who died suddenly yesterday . . ." It is resonable to surmise that Angus Mackay carried the appointment to his death, when Ross would be appointed 1st Piper and Hardy engaged as 2nd Piper, and probably re-instated after his dismissal for dealing drastically with the sassenachs. William Ross had been Pipe Major of the 42nd before joining the Queen's Household and continued in her service in the post of 1st Piper until 1883 and it was from this date until 1891 when he died that he was called the Head Piper. Having got settled in London in 1855 he obtained permission to live outside the Palace and setting up in business in the Bagpipe trade he was soon in a position to fill orders from the Highland Regiments. Robert Meldrum notes that the Pipe he won at the Northern Meeting in 1884 was made by Ross, and that it was mounted in ivory. An extract from the records of the Privy Purse shows that Ross was employed as Gentleman Porter at various residences, and that he was also Groom of the State Chamber. He was paid £80 p.a. as Piper, £50 p.a. as Groom and also had an allow-