Born in Aberdeen, I started piping at 14 years old in the ATC pipe band and became pipe Major at 17. I Came to London in 1960 and joined the Waltham Forest Band and after a few months later became Pipe Sergeant.
In 1963 I joined the City of London
Blue Bonnets Pipe Band, this was a very good band with Gordon Spiers as pipe,
winning top prize's in compactions all over England and Scotland. I also joined
another very good band the Knightsbridge Pipe Band, winning competitions in
England and Scotland.
I became instructor to the Havering Girls Pipe Band, playing all over London including The Royal Albert Hall. Every year we were invited to go to Italy for a week playing different venues and put up a good performance with the combination of traditional highland dancing and bagpiping.
During this time I was doing private Engagements, Weddings and Funerals and for six years I played at the Caledonian Suite, all Scottish food starting with Haggis and I had recite the poem by Robert Burns to a Haggis.
I have played to well known people and as guest of honour to Harold Wilson, Margaret Thatcher, Princess Margaret but the most famous of them all was with the The Queen Mother. I was playing as guest piper for the London Scottish Pipe Band when she opened their new headquarters.
Thank You for reading.
John Haywood Herbert.
Scottish Piper in London and Essex.