Greater Glasgow Police Scotland Pipe Band

Greater Glasgow Police Scotland Pipe Band
The band at the Cowal Highland Gathering in 2007
Established	1883
Location	Glasgow
Grade	1
Pipe major	Iain MacPherson
Drum major	Andrew McPherson
Drum sergeant	David Henderson
Tartan	Royal Stewart
Notable honours	World Pipe Band Championships: 1920, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1976, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 World Drum Corps Champions: 1936, 1951, 1952, 1972
Website	www.glasgowpolicepb.org

World Pipe Band Championships: 1920, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1976, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991

Glasgow Police Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band from Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1883 as the Burgh of Govan Police Pipe Band, the band enjoyed its greatest competitive success as the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band.

The band was one of the first civilian bands in Britain when it formed in 1883 as the Burgh of Govan Police Pipe Band. The first pipe major was William Bremer, who was succeeded by Walter Drysdale in 1890, who was in turn succeeded by Alexander Hutcheon in 1898. The band enjoyed a good reputation, and was recognised nationally for its quality. It wore a tartan designed by the Chief Constable, and played two concerts annually to raise funds.

Govan was annexed into Glasgow along with Partick in 1912, and the band became the City of Glasgow Police Pipe Band. In 1913 William Gray, a Gold Medal winner, replaced Hutcheon as pipe major, and the tartan was also replaced with the Royal Stewart. The band won its first World Championship in 1920, but due to Gray's focus on events other than competition the next time the band won the Worlds was 1936.

Gray was succeeded in 1932 by John MacDonald, a student of Gray for many years and also a Gold Medal winner, having won at both the Argyllshire Gathering and the Northern Meeting within a week. Under MacDonald, the band won the World Championships in 1936, 1937, 1938 and 1939, and after the Second World War in 1946, 1949 and 1951.

Angus MacDonald succeeded John MacDonald in 1958, and rebuilt the band after the loss of senior players through retirement had reduced the band's competitiveness. Under Angus MacDonald the band won every major championship except the Worlds.

Ronald Lawrie succeeded Angus MacDonald as pipe major in 1967, but due to ill health Lawrie was succeeded by Ian MacLellan in 1972. In 1975, Strathclyde Police was formed by the merger of several police forces to form the second-largest police force in Britain, and the respective bands were merged into the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band under the leadership of Ian MacLellan.