The Mitchelburne Pipe Band men - from Groarty

He was taught by a man called Bertie Whiteside - a larger-than-life character within the band who was known for his skills in teaching young 'Fountain' boys the rudiments of drumming - and it was Bertie who asked Victor to join the band.

It was considered an honour to be a member of the band, not least because you had to be asked if you'd join, you couldn't just walk in the door and ask if you could be a member. You also had to be a drummer of some note to catch Bertie's eye in the first place, and Victor obviously had the necessary flair and skill to get 'the nod'.

Formed in 1947, The Mitchelburnes were what you might call 'exclusive' to Groarty (out by the Glen Road), and the practice hall was the B Specials Hut on Groarty Road, and memories of those days came flooding back recently for Victor, when his brother found a few old polaroids in the attic. A conversation or two later and more photos came to light courtesy of band member Bertie Whiteside, and are reproduced here in the hope that they bring back memories for Sentinel readers.

Recalling how he became involved with 'The Mitchelburnes' as they were affectionately known, he says: "Bertie Whiteside was married to my cousin and we all had an interest in drumming at that time, and I remember he asked me if I wanted to join the band. I had been in a few bands before it, but 'The Mitchelburnes' was the cream of the crop when it came to the band scene at the time."

So Victor signed up - eagerly - in 1962/1963.

"I remember being delighted. I had been practising drums for a couple of years and it wasn't everybody that got into the band, because Mitchelburne Pipe Band was playing to such a high standard. You were asked to join the band if it was thought you were good enough to be in it. So, I suppose you could say I was head hunted," he said.

"My brother followed me into the band as well in 1969. That was John, and I remember a guy called George Ferris came in as well, but the main man in the band at the time was a man called Walter Cummings, and he was a member of the drum corps as well. He was actually the chairman of the band and he run the band, and if we needed instruments or anything he would have bought them, or set up fundraising efforts to get the money in to buy them," Victor said.

"I remember there was a guy Davy Best," said Victor, recalling some of the large-than-life figures who were members during his time: "Davy was a real comedy act and he was a real character and both David Best and the pipe sergeant, Charlie Lland were great characters within the band and kept the whole thing going. Charlie was a great character, and a great help to the band and he also helped to teach the band members."

New uniforms

In their day the band was a popular choice for Lodge parades. In fact, Victor clearly remembers leading the No 4 District in 1969 when they got their new uniforms - pictures of which accompany this feature.

"We also went out of the town for a few years...to Ballymoney Lodge, but then we came back into the city again, and led the No 4 District, and then after that LOL 461 Scott Goligher, but people would remember it as Smith Memorial in those days before it changed it's name to Scott Goligher. We led them, and we led the Linfield Branch of the Browning Club from Belfast in the Apprentice Boys parade and then we led Carrigans Black..." he says, and it's clear from the expression on his face that there are some treasured memories lurking there that Victor values greatly.

The August 12 parades were always the biggest occasion that the band fronted every year in the city.

"There was upwards of 200 bands always at that parade, and that was the biggest parade of the calendar, August 12th in the city. We had a Branch Club...there are only eight Parent Clubs, but there are up on 200 Branch Clubs, and we headed up a Branch Club from Belfast, the Linfield Branch Club - and we also played in the competitions as well."

Asked about the advent of 'the uniform' The Mitchelburnes wore, and the fact that they cut a dash in the style stakes, Victor laughs when it is suggested that they must have 'impressed the ladies'.

"We were the first band that went into that sort of a uniform, which was a full dress uniform, and everybody thought we looked well. We took a chance in 1969 and we went with the grey coats and the different tartan," he says.

The conversation turns back to the competitions that the band entered and the standard they played at and Victor reveals that they got up to Grade 1.

"We did very very well, in fact we got to Grade 1 at one time and we played in Grade 2 and we also played in Grade 3 in the World Championships and we came third - that was in the late 1970s. So it was a great achievement for the band, and the band was great, we had the pick of Londonderry's pipers and drummers," he said proudly, producing a wallet of photographs which he discusses.

"It was great seeing all these old photographs again, and I must say I have to thank Bertie and John for supplying some of the photos. I had some myself, but they really did go on an in-depth hunt for the others just to give The Mitchelburnes the showing that they deserve," he said.

A collection of photographs for the band have been collated and anyone who would like a copy of one (or more) is welcome to contact Victor.

"I am happy that if anyone wants them we can get copies of them for them," he said, adding: "We always thought it was sad that the band folded. A lot of the members are now dead, most of what you call 'the front row' has all passed away. A great member was Frank McConaghey, who was pipe major before Harry Lland came on the scene. He as a great member and was one of the original members - Frank McConaghey, John Gardiner and people like that.

"I always think on days gone by when we practised in the hut and we had no electric in it and we used Tilly lamps, and people went out there to practice. There were no buses out, we all had to walk from The Glen and carry your instruments with you.

"Walter Cummings carried most of the uniforms. He lived over in The Glen Estate, and he would have taken a lot of the equipment out - the drums, and most of the members had their pipes with them. The atmosphere and the camaraderie was very very good, and for a while they were band for the Royal Army Service Corps and also when they changed over to the RCT or the Territorial Army and they were there for a lot of years. They was a very good camaraderie within the band," he said.

All good things come to an end, and the drummers and pipers disbanded in the 1980s due to a lack of members. Some had drifted away and interest waned and young people did not step in to fill the gaps left by the senior players.

Asked if he would like to see The Mitchelburnes reform, Victor said he would, but he could not see it happening in the immediate future, due mostly to the lack of musicians in the city at the moment.

"There was plenty of musicians in the city after the War, but it really is a bygone age," he said quietly.