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This bagpipe came to me with some known history. It was owned and brought to Canada by Duncan Stewart
of Appin. Duncan apparently played this bagpipe for King George IV on his visit to Scotland in 1822.
The family maintains that Duncan acquired the bagpipe in 1810 and that it was brought to Canada in 1850.
The children were told never to tell anyone about the bagpipe. It remains with the family today.
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The chanter is unmarked and has a sole made of horn. It is huge to hold and produces an equally huge
haunting sound. I found the scale to be remarkable true. The pitch was very low by today's standard.
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Tenor stocks, tops, and bottoms all presented questions. As you can see they are of varying lengths.
Let's start with the stocks. One stock was 5.25 inches long with a bore of .735 inches. The other
stock was 5.75 inches long with a bore of .750 inches.
Tenor bottoms - One was 8 inches long and
the other was 9 inches long. Both bores were the same at .300 inches.
Tenor tops - One was 7.75
inches in length with a tuning chamber bore of .600 with a depth of 3.5 inches. The bushing was .600
inches. The other tenor top was 8 inches long with the same bore at a depth of 3 inches. The bushing
was .550 inches.
So what goes with what? Why the differences?
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The bass sections are all 12 inches in length. Of course, we're drawing a conclusion on the bass bottom.
Of particular interest was the bass bottom bore at .375 inches and the bass mid small bore at .500 inches.
The bushing on the bass top section was also huge at .730 inches.
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The beads are all hand-cut. The combing is 9 teeth at 21 teeth per inch. Remarkable!
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A comparison shot of all three tops. Similarities and differences are very notable. Why? I don't
think anyone can be certain. The overall skill and attention to detail is obvious. Yet the differences
in measurements and in some detail leaves me wondering.
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Conclusions? The wood is light and open-grained. Obviously a fruitwood probably native to Scotland.
If the family's history of the bagpipe is correct and the bagpipes date back to 1810 we might try to
associate the bagpipe with Hugh Robertson (1760 - 1816 Edinburgh) or perhaps Alan MacDougall (1790 -
1834 Perth). Donald MacDonald (1806 - 1840 Edinburgh)? Unfortunately what we know of these makers and
what we see here does not support any conclusions other than the Stewart bagpipe was made in the early
part of the 19th century by someone will knowledge and skill.
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