List of bagpipe makers explained

This is a list of bagpipe makers. It covers both family-based and commercial outfits from the 17th century to the present era. In the 1950s, the bagpipe traditions of Europe were revived. The market is increasing in size as the popularity of the instrument is increasing, and the list of bagpipe makers is rising.

British Isles pipes

Great Highland Bagpipes/Great Irish Warpipes


FirmNameLocationApprenticedRetiredNotesRefs
Unknowndata-sort-value=Oswald James Ramsay OswaldMelbourne, Victoria, Australia19412003One of only ten bagpipe makers in Australia.[1]
Dunbar Bagpipe Maker Ltd.Rick Pettigrew, Barry Dunbar, Jacquie DunbarSt. Catharines, Ontario, CanadaFounded by Jack Dunbar of Glasgow in 1985[2]
John Walsh Bagpipes Ltd.John Walsh, Tom MacMillanAntigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada[3]
The Burley Bagpipes CompanyGraham BurleyNaramata, British Columbia, Canada[4]
Lee & Sons BagpipesJack Lee, Andrew LeeSurrey, British Columbia, Canada[5]
Macbeth and Co. BagpipesMartin MacBethBrisbane, Australia1990sBegan in Brisbane 2010?
Fisher BagpipesSarnia, ONSelf-taught pipemaker. One of only a handful of bagpipe makers in Canada.[6]
American Bagpipe Makers Inc.Dobbs Ferry, NY1987?[7]
Rolf of SwedenSweden1990sCustom made bagpipes: Great Highland Bagpipes, Smallpipes, Practice Chanters. Self-taught pipe maker.[8]
William Sinclair and SonEdinburgh, Scotland1926[9]
MacLellan BagpipesMonroe, NCFormer Tiffany & Co. silversmith.[10]
McCallum Bagpipes Ltd.Kilmarnock
O'Mahony WarpipesJames O'Mahony Cork, Ireland 1914? From Mitchelstown in Cork. Maker of Fiddles and Warpipes.[11]
O'Keeffe Warpipes O'KeeffeTippperary, Ireland1910Is said to have been one of the first makers of Warpipes in Ireland in the 20th century. Prior to that Warpipes weren't known to have been made since 1870. [12]
O'Crowley MusicTadhg & Denis CrowleyCork, Ireland 192019521966Brother's Tadhg and Denis Crowley made Warpipes, Highland Pipes, and Uilleann pipes in Cork. [13]
David Naill & Co., Ltd.Leslie CowellSomerset, EnglandFounded 1976. Makers of Scottish Bagpipes, Smallpipes & chanters.[14]
Peter Henderson Ltd.Peter HendersonGlasgow, Scotland18681972One of the famous Scottish bagpipe makers. Merged with R. G. Hardie & Co. in 1972. [15]
R. G. Hardie & Co.Robert G. HardieGlasgow, Scotland1950[16] [17]

Uilleann pipes

FirmNameLocationApprenticedRetiredNotesRefs
UnknownPhiladelphia, PA1840-18721901[18]
The Burley Bagpipes CompanyGraham BurleyNaramata, British Columbia, Canada
UnknownPhiladelphia, PA1840-18721902
Boston, Massachusetts19101958
Leo Rowsome

Scottish smallpipes and borderpipes

FirmNameLocationApprenticedRetiredNotesRefs
Fisher BagpipesSarnia, ONSelf-taught pipemaker.
Hamish MooreDunkeld
Fred Morrison SmallpipesSmallpipes and Borderpipes manufactured by McCallum Bagpipes Ltd
The Burley Bagpipes CompanyGraham BurleyNaramata, British Columbia, Canada
John Walsh Bagpipes Ltd.John WalshAntigonish, NSSmallpipes, Great Highland Pipes, and Shuttlepipes.
Iona BagpipesBill HartSydney, AustraliaSmallpipes, Scottish Double Smallpipes[19]

Northumbrian pipes

NameFirmLocationApprenticedRetiredNotesRefs
Newcastle upon Tyne17641820Developed keywork for the Northumbrian smallpipe around 1800
England18771955
Wideopen, North Tyneside19041978
Newcastle upon Tyne17861837
Newsham18811964
United Kingdom
William H. Hedworth1994

Cornish bagpipes

NameFirmLocationApprenticedRetiredNotesRefs
[21]
Peebles

Shuttle pipes

Continental European pipes

Swedish bagpipes (säckpipa)

NameFirmLocationApprenticedRetiredNotesRefs
Sweden
Sweden

Sources

Bibliography
News articles
Online resources

Notes and References

  1. The Advertiser, November 22, 2003
  2. Dunbar Bagpipes, 2020
  3. John Walsh Bagpipes Ltd, 2020
  4. The Burley Bagpipes Company, 1996
  5. Lee & Sons Bagpipes, 2018
  6. [#CITEREFMorden2009|''The Observer'', November 16, 2009]
  7. [#CITEREFRosenberg1995|''The New York Times'', October 8, 1995]
  8. Hermansson, Mats d (2003). From Icon to Identity: Scottish Piping and Drumming in Scandinavia, University of Gothenburg, diss.
  9. The main source for this information is the history page of the William Sinclair and Son website. See also:
  10. [#CITEREFWalker2006|''The Times and Democrat'', November 5, 2006]
  11. http://www.militaryarchives.ie/collections/online-collections/bureau-of-military-history-1913-1921/reels/bmh/BMH.WS0730.pdf Bureau of Military History: Seamus O'Mahony, witness statement
  12. Web site: An Claidheamh Soluis: Iúil-Nollaig 1910. 2020-07-22. Issuu. 27 July 2016 . en.
  13. Web site: Mitchell . John . Crowley Pipemakers: Uilleann Pipers and Makers . Cork Pipers Club .
  14. Web site: David Naill & Co. Bagpipes . 2022-05-12 . www.naillbagpipes.com.
  15. Web site: 2022-03-22 . Piping PressHistory: Peter Henderson, the Iconic Bagpipe Maker . 2022-09-07 . Piping Press . en-GB.
  16. Web site: History - Bagpipes, Pipe Band Uniforms and Drums . 2023-03-02 . R. G. Hardie & Co. . en-GB.
  17. Web site: Hardie, Robert G. . 2023-03-02 . The Bagpipe Place Museum . en-US.
  18. .
  19. Web site: Iona Bagpipes . 2024-07-14 . iona-bagpipes.com.
  20. https://archive.today/20130114015345/http://www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk/news/Pipes-piece-county-history/article-3055235-detail/article.html Lincolnshire bagpipes? 'Scottish' instrument a piece of county's history
  21. .
  22. http://www.songlines.co.uk/world-music-news/2012/12/januaryfebruary-2013-issue-of-songlines-89-is-on-sale-in-the-uk-from-december-7/ January/February 2013 issue of Songlines (#89) article:Postcard from Santorini

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