History

The band was formed on 1st November 2000 by the current Pipe Major, Mark Jamieson.  Mark lived in Thirsk at the time and had recently retired from being Pipe Major of South Durham Pipes & Drums based in Darlington.  After missing the cameraderie of being in a pipe band, he decided to try and start a band in Thirsk.  Helped by Tommy Alexander and Hugh Gillies (poached from South Durham!), the band was formed. 

 

Initially the band was going to be called Thirsk & District Pipe Band but, after an approach was made to a number of organisations in the area, North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service offered Thirsk Fire Station as a practice venue.  The Chief Fire Officer at the time also sanctioned that the band could operate under the Service banner.  Even though the band represents the fire service every time it performs, it is financially independant and does not receive any funding from the service.  We believe that the band should not divert funds away from the valuable service they offer to the community.

 

The band has attracted a number of players from all over the region but it soon realised that to bolster its ranks, it would have to offer teaching "from scratch".  This it has done with some success with a significant number of the ranks being developed in-house. 

 

Over the subsequent years, the band has competed regularly and with varying success at local competitions hosted by the North East England Branch of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association.  We have had winners in the solo competition sections in practice chanter, practice pad, juvenile drumming, juvenile piping and intermediate drumming.  If not outright winners, we have had members placed in the top three quite regularly.  The band usually managed to get a top 4 placing in the Grade 4 trio, quartet and mini-band competitions winning the Trio's outright in 2009 (See O'er Missus).

 

Going forward, the band endeavours to balance competition with having an enjoyable pastime.  The next step will be to progress in the outdoor competition arena and there are promising signs that success in this will not be in the too distant future.  Onwards and upwards.