EDIT: Initially I dismissed the claim that Kilberry was Edinburgh's last maker, due to only a decade or so ago their being several.
I just did some online searching and found out that it might well be true, or close to being true.
Here's the six Edinburgh makers listed in Highland Bagpipe Makers 2001 edition, and what I've been able to quickly glean about them:
William Sinclair & Son (est. 1931) Alastair Sinclair, the grandson of the founder, passed away in 2019.
Gillanders & McLeod (est. 1930) Seems that Ian Murray (Forfar) who studied under Bob Gillanders, can make Gillanders models on request.
Hugh MacPherson (est. 1946) I only see Highland Dress mentioned in their YouTube video.
Clan Bagpipes (Joe Hagan) I visited Joe in his workshop in the 1980s. Seems that sometime in the 1990s he closed his shop and went to work for Bagpipes Galore. Joe passed away in 2019. Ralph Hepburn, who studied under Joe, seems to be Bagpipe Galore's current maker.
Inveran House (Brian Donaldson) Brian moved his business to the USA.
Kilberry Bagpipes, the subject of that video.
Leaving Kilberry and Clan Bagpipes as Edinburgh's only makers? Neither with a high reputation amongst pipers I know.
Last edited by OC Richard; 24th September 21 at 05:39 AM.
Proud Mountaineer from the Highlands of West Virginia; son of the Revolution and Civil War; first Europeans on the Guyandotte
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