In practice, beginning players find that the seven key chanter, with a range of D to b, is sufficient for playing most of the traditional piping repertoire. Pipes with a tonic of F# are used for solo performance by several pipers now, being brighter in tone than those in F+, without being 'squeaky'. In 1981, after much hard work by Bill Hume and Richard Butler, the Second Northumbrian Pipers’ Tune Book was published. Work on producing a duet book was begun, with a general request to Society members for duets. Hon. The pipe-making instruction book ‘The Northumbrian Bagpipes’, by W.A. Anthony Robb became secretary of the Society and his wife Carole joined the Committee. The collection contains a mixture of simple dance tunes, and extended variation sets. In 1971, due to ill health, Jack retired and Tom Matthews was appointed Piper to the Duke. The Charlton Memorial Tune Book was again reprinted and the Reed Making Pamphlet by George Wallace was distributed. The Society also started a collection of music for a new tune book. L.G. [5] These two accounts differ rather in their objectives, as Cocks and Bryan was based on descriptions of existing sets, notably by Robert Reid, Nelson being a description of his own design. There was a small surplus at the bank of £1 5s 6d. After the war was over, a series of concerts was organised in order to boost the Charlton Memorial Fund. This year, too, Mrs. McMitchell (Margery Bell who had been secretary for many years) died. The traditional style of playing on the instrument is to play each note slightly staccato. The instrument depicted in Peacock's tunebook had only four keys, for F sharp, E and D below the octave G-g range of the unkeyed instrument, and another for the a above it. It was decided to send round a monthly circular of all piping news. This cup was competed for at Whitby Folk Festival and subsequently at Redcar and Holmfirth Folk festivals. At length the Duke of Northumberland invited Jack to become his personal piper. He also (with John Stokoe) compiled the ‘Northumbrian Minstrelsy’, published by the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1882. Membership now stood at ninety-eight members. At the second annual meeting, K. Stanger resigned and R. R. Armstrong (father of Jack Armstrong) became chairman. Even today’s piping community are split as to who was the first Ducal Piper. The Society rounded off the year by playing Christmas carols at the Central station for the Tyne Rail Music Festival. Since 1969, the Society had been cooperating with the Newcastle Festival Committee. Only official duty was to play at the Shove Tuesday football match. Mowat, and M. Hodgson, a demonstration of the playing of a ‘shepherd’s pipe’ was given by Miss Gladys Page Wood of the Pipers Guild. Richard Butler playing at the annual Shrove Tide football match - piping all of the players and organising committee to the field in front of Alnwick Castle. James Hall was piper to three successive Dukes of Northumberland, and played before the Royal Family on their visits to Alnwick Castle and was the last of the pipers to be engaged on a full time basis as a musician. These attend the Court Leets and Fairs held for the Lord and pay their annual Suit and Service at Alnwick Castle, their instrument being the ancient Northumbrian Bagpipe.'. In his time, Jack was a great exponent of the pipes, not only as a player, but also as a maker. T.W. They live by the etiquette of the Peerage, have Swiss porters and the Countess has her pipers.'. 1979 began with the founder members of the Society, Mr. K Stanger, Mr. W Kirton, Mr. V Fairbairn, and Grace Gray being elected honorary members. Another annual event was now introduced into the folk calendar. A Society member, and Secretary of the Alnwick Pipers’ Society, he had done much to foster good relations between the two Societies. My father, being a great enthusiast of the pipes, arranged for me to have a ‘lesson from the master’ with regular visits to his house in Wideopen to be taught from the age of eleven. Prince Charles presenting on behalf of the Duke of Northumberland a painting of Alnwick Castle to Richard Butler to mark Richard's 30 Years as Piper to the Dukes of Northumberland, (left to right - HRH Prince Charles, Duchess Elizabeth of Northumberland, Richard Butler, Duchess Jane of Northumberland, the Duke of Northumberland). (25p) for non-playing. The Annual General Meeting report for 1949 mentions ‘Mr. James (Jamie) Allan played for the Countess of Northumberland. Mowat, who had been a prominent member of the old society, being then one of their best players. There had been great difficulty in keeping it going so long. Fees from members in the forces were suspended, and collections were made for them. But 'choyting' (the complex open-fingered gracing after the manner of Highland piping) is generally frowned on, and Tom Clough made a point of avoiding open-fingered ornament altogether, considering open-fingering 'a grievous error'. Negotiations between the Society of Antiquaries and Castle Morpeth Borough Council meant that a new Bagpipe Museum opened during the year at the Chantry. Entries for the annual competitions were well up on previous years, and were heard by a capacity audience, which was most heartening. Cowper became chairman, Alan Hall secretary, and W.J. A pupil of Peacock, Robert Bewick, the son of Thomas Bewick the engraver, left five manuscript notebooks of pipetunes; these, dated between 1832 and 1843, are from the earliest decades in which keyed chanters were common, and they give a good early picture of the repertoire of a piper at this stage in the modern instrument's development. The later part was written by Steve Barwick. Members entertained the Lord Mayor (Ald. Esther McCracken wrote a play entitled ‘Cash or Kind’, which she gave to the Society. During 1986 the Society of Antiquaries, to whom W A Cocks had left his collection of bagpipes, found itself unable to sustain the Bagpipe Museum at the Black Gate in Newcastle upon Tyne. Bryan was published in 1967. Second piper appointed to help promote the pipes, James Reid of North Shields. one for the Barony of Prudhoe and two for the Barony of Rothbury. Forster Charlton resigned as secretary in 1970. 1988 was the Diamond Jubilee of the Society, celebration of this important year taking the form of a special concert after the Society competitions in October, the release of the record ‘New Horizons’, presentation of special prizes at the competitions, and a Jubilee issue of the magazine. at Ponteland, Newcastle and Durham, as many more people started making their own sets. These tunes are almost all extended variation sets on dance tunes in various rhythms – reels, jigs, compound triple-time tunes (now known as slip jigs), and triple-time hornpipes. Will I be the shortest time serving as piper? During this time he inspired many people to take up the playing and making of the pipes. A reprint of the First Tune Book was also necessary. Since 1982 he has played at the 10th Duke’s memorial service in Westminster Abbey, 11th Duke’s memorial service in Alnwick and many private functions at Alnwick Castle including the 12th Duke’s 50th birthday party and at a dinner parties for the King of Spain, Her Majesty the Queen, HRH Prince Philip and HRH Prince Charles. The Alnwick Branch of the Society was formed this year. Robson joined the R.A.F and Miss Margery Bell became secretary (1941). He was one of the best pipers of his day, and it was decided to present a silver cup in his memory. Several pipers play in highly close-fingered styles, Chris Ormston and Adrian Schofield among them; even among those such as Kathryn Tickell who use open fingering for expression, the close-fingered technique is the basis of their playing. John Goodacre, A Closed-ended Smallpipe Chanter from the 17th Century. since my appointment I have played at many functions, including the 10th Duke’s memorial service at Westminster Abbey. Denis Dunn and Brian Ward were elected honorary members. J.K. Stanger- who was pipe-major for the Medical School OTC band of half-long pipes, became chairman, G.H. Askew secretary, B. Alderson assistant secretary, and the committee consisted of W. Kirton, W. Miller, V. Fairbairn and A. He also taught himself to make pipes at a time when pipemakers were almost extinct, later collaborating with Bill Hedworth, and then passing on his knowledge in this area to some of the present generation of pipemakers, in particular David Burleigh. They held some of their own meetings in the Morden Tower and occasionally accompanied the dances. Thomas Bewick, the engraver, at the end of the eighteenth century, wrote to a friend: “At one time I was afraid that these old tunes, and this ancient instrument, might from neglect of encouragement get out of use, and I did everything in my power to prevent this and to revive it, by urging Peacock to teach pupils to become masters of this kind of music; and I flatter myself my efforts were not lost.” John Peacock was a small pipes player, and the last of the Newcastle waits.