Victoria Scottish
Pipes & Drums

Victoria Scottish Pipes & Drums is one of Australia's oldest continuously functioning pipe bands and was established in 1909 by members of the H. V. McKay Sunshine Harvester Works Pipe Band. This community band was to be known as "The Sunshine & District Pipe Band", with two of the principal founders being Pipe Major Lewis McLennan and Pipe Sergeant Andrew Donald, from Broughty Ferry near Dundee, Scotland.

The standard of the band developed rapidly under their tutelage until 1923, when under leadership of the now Pipe Major Andrew Donald, they were runners-up at the Australian Championships. John Laurie, ex-King's piper, became Pipe Major in 1924 and under his expert guidance the band went on to win the Australian Championships of 1926.

By 1924, with a lack of funding and declining support in the Sunshine area, the band was able to obtain an annual grant of five pounds from the Footscray City Council. The band subsequently became known as the “Footscray City Highland Pipe Band”, a name it proudly carried for the next 75 years. In that year also, the band became a foundation member of the newly formed Victorian Highland Pipe Band Association.

Until 1936, the band wore the McKenzie tartan (a slight change from the Black Watch of the H. V. McKay uniform), with full military plaids, doublets and belts. Despite the depression years of the 1930s, the band, through the generosity of a patron, Mr J. Lack, was able to re-equip with new Red Robertson kilts and plaids, the choice of tartan influenced by the fact that three playing and two committee members were of the Robertson Clan.

The War Services claimed a number of members in the 1940s, but in 1946, the band managed a 1st place in “C” Grade at Warringal Park. Progress was slow under Pipe Majors Angus McAffer, Les Pianta and Jock McKay, until the War Services members returned in the 1950s.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, under Pipe Majors Andy Masterson and George Brass, with Alex McPhedran as Drum Tutor, the band made its way to Grade 2. By the end of the 1970s however, the band had declined sharply and a major reorganisation followed. President Graeme Bruce and Pipe Major Barry Stewart, supported by then Chieftain, Councillor Matt Harris, negotiated a generous grant from the Footscray City Council, which enabled the purchase of trews for the drum corps and other equipment for the newly recruited band members, which, for the first time, included ladies.

In the early 1980s, as part of the band's rebuilding program, John McIver, then Pipe Sergeant of the Hawthorn City Pipe Band, was engaged as Pipe Tutor, with Wally Douglas and later Bruce Neal, as Drum Tutors.

Both on and off the competition field, this new direction resulted in the band achieving great success throughout the 1980s. By the middle of the decade, a Grade 4 band was also formed in order to engage all members of the band's growing ranks. The band also successfully took part in the 1985 Melbourne Military Tattoo and in the same year travelled to South Australia to compete at Mount Gambier. In 1986, the band returned to South Australia and was placed 1st in Grade 3 at the Australian Championships in Adelaide, playing in 40 degree heat.

With the Grade 3 band being promoted to Grade 2 in 1987, David McInerney assumed the role of Pipe Major and both bands continued to have success. In the following year, leadership again changed and with Pipe Major Robert Crozier, focus was placed on developing the Grade 4 band, culminating in a 1st place at the 1988 Grade 4 Australian Championships in Sydney, this time playing in torrential rain.

Waning numbers in 1989 brought about an amalgamation of the two bands to form one Grade 3 band. Under Pipe Major John Young and with Harold Gillespie as Drum Tutor, the band achieved considerable successs on the competition field throughout the early 1990s. After being promoted to Grade 2 in 1993, the band traveled to New Zealand where it gained 1st place at the 1994 Grade 2 New Zealand Championships.

After winning the Grade 2 Australian Championships of 1996 and 1998, the band was promoted to Grade 1, eventually winning the 2000 Grade 1 Australian Championships in Adelaide. A little known fact from this time period is that six members of the 1998 Grade 1 World Champions, the Victoria Police Pipe Band, actually came from the Footscray City Highland Pipe Band.

In 1999, through the efforts of David McInerney and the Executive Committee, an affiliation with the Williamstown Returned Services League was established, resulting in the band changing its name to the "Williamstown R.S.L. Pipe Band".

After the Grade 1 success of 2000, the band's membership again declined and from 2001 to 2007, the band entered a rebuilding phase under Pipe Majors Anthony Davis and later, Ian Stewart. During this period, the band continued to play socially and took part in minor regional competitions to maintain interest.

Leadership then passed to Ross Bates of the Victoria Police Pipe Band, who, with Drum Tutors Greg Fraser and Brett Staley, intensified the rebuilding of the band and recruitment of new members. Their efforts have been rewarded by attracting a number of experienced players, thus bringing a renewed enthusiasm and commitment to the band. Those efforts saw the band return to the competition field in Grade 4.

In 2009, the band achieved another milestone by celebrating its 100th birthday and looks forward to continued success in its new century.

The band was promoted to Grade 3 for the 2010/2011 season, and recorded good results in the tougher grade 3 environment. Picking up three 1st place, one 2nd place and two 3rd place awards for the competitions that season. In the competition season 2011/2012, the band recorded 5 wins including the Victorian Grade 3 Championship. The band also placed 2nd, at the Australian Championships at Ballarat, only beaten by the power of a combined youth band from New Zealand. The band still competes in Grade 3 to this day picking up its share of wins, and continues to engage played on a competition and social basis.

In 2014 the bands sponsorship with the Williamstown RSL ended, no longer in a position to support the band financially. The pipe band membership voted to change the band name to Victoria Scottish Pipes & Drums, however a strong association remains in the Williamstown area. Completing a community ANZAC street march for the Williamstown RSL, (usually the weekend prior to the main ANZAC day service) and other local engagements.   

Acknowledgement for the early content of this history goes to the knowledge of Pipe Majors Andrew Donald and Angus McAffer and to Sandy Shore's and Jim Robertson's detail in recording Band affairs. The thanks of the band go to Life Members Bruce Hocking and Gary King for their efforts in compiling this band history.