Pipe Major J B Robertson Scots Guards
Pipe Major J B Robertson Scots Guards at the Highland games in the 1930's.
James Blair Robertson was one of the most celebrated military pipers.
James Blair Robertson was born in Dundee, Scotland in 1905. His father, Alexander, was in the Scots Guards regiment and was killed in action in 1914 at the start of WW1.
A young J B was educated at the Queen Victoria School, Dunblane. His first bagpipe lessons were from Pipe Major Wilson of the Highland Light Infantry.
He joined the 1st Battalion, The Scots Guards in 1922 and was instructed by its Pipe Major, Alex Ross. Subsequently, he received piobaireachd instruction from John MacDonald of Inverness along with Bob Brown and Bob Nicol. He later came under the guidance of Archibald Campbell of Kilberry.
He was awarded the Gold Medal at Oban in 1932 and at Inverness in 1937. He is one of the few who have succeeded in achieving ‘the Double’, winning the Open and Clasp contests at Oban and Inverness in the same year.
In 1945, whilst Regimental Sergeant Major, he was awarded the MBE for his service in Egypt between 1935-45.
He retired from the army in 1950 and formed a pipe band in London, the Robertson Pipe Band. The band was distinguished by the inclusion of six former Army Pipe Majors including Bob Hill, Jock Speedy, George Greenfield and Angus MacAulay. Jim Robertson (J. B.’s son), Harry Denyer and Les Cowell founder of Naill Bagpipes Ltd. among others
In later years, J. B. was a leading light – and committee member – in the Scottish Piping Society of London.
Many of J.B.s tunes can be found in the Scots Guards Bagpipe music collection.
Thank you to J B’s former pupil John Shone for some of the insights.
