By JEANNIE CAMPBELL MBE
Aboyne does not have quite such a long a history as the nearby gatherings of Braemar, Ballater and Lonach, having been instituted in 1867, but since then the Games have continued without a break except for two world wars.
The first Games were advertised in the Aberdeen Journal on 28th August and were to take place on 31st August 1867 under the patronage of the Marquis of Huntly, J D Nicol esq of Ballogie, Col Farquharson of Invercauld and F J Cochran of Ballater. There were the usual heavy and light events, dancing and one event for Highland Bagpipe Music.
The Gathering was advertised again in 1868 and 1869 still with just one event for Highland Bagpipe Music.
Robert Meldrum wrote in his memoirs, ‘I first heard the leading pipers in 1870 when I was with the 93rd in Aberdeen and went to the Aboyne Games. The best player was Donald Macphee, Glasgow. He was good at pibroch as well as at the light music. Alick Cameron, the son of Donald Cameron, was there, but he was not competing. He was piper to the Marquis of Huntly, and played him to the Gathering with the Cock of the North. He played the tune splendidly and in a style which I had never heard before but was able to pick up and still remember’.
During the 1870s papers reported many visits to the games by the Prince and Princess of Wales and other members of their family as guests of the Marquis of Huntly
The only piping result given for 1876 was for an event open to the Marquis of Huntley’s own Tenantry: Highland Bagpipe Music: 1. C Ewing; 2. A Kailas.
During the early years John MacDougall Gillies was a prolific prize winner at Aboyne, with ten firsts and two seconds for piobaireachd and four firsts and two seconds for light music. His brother Alex Gillies had five firsts for piobaireachd.
In 1893 the results were, Bagpipe music, local: 1. R Brown, 2. P Shepherd. Reels and Marches, Open: 1. William Robb, 92nd Highlanders; 2. C Thomson, Inverness; 3. J MacDougall Gillies, Glasgow. Piobaireachds, Open: 1. J MacDougall Gillies, 2. C Thomson.
John Davie from Chicago was in Scotland in 1894 and competed around the games. He won prizes at Dunecht, Ellon, Aberdeen, Drumlithie, Haddo House, Torphins, Newmachar, Buchan, Tomintoul, Ballater and Braemar in addition to Aboyne where on 12th September 1894 Charles Ewen and PM William Webster were the piping judges. In Reels and Marches seven played. 1. John Davie, Chicago, 2. R Brown, Lumphanan, 3. A C MacGregor, Strathdon, 4. W Reid Aberdeen. Piobaireachd. Four entries. 1. A C MacGregor, 2. R Brown, 3. Charles Thomson, Glentanar.
In 1904 the results were, Piobaireachd: 1. John MacDonald, 2. William Ross, 3. J A Center, 4. G S Allan. March: G S MacLennan, 2. J MacDonald, 3. W Ross, 4. G S Allan. Strathspey and Reel: 1. J MacDonald, 2. G S Allan, 3. G S MacLennan, 4. W Ross.
In 1910 the results were, Piobaireachd: 1. R M Meldrum, 2. Angus MacLeod, Dundee, 3. PM Ewing, 4. J O Duff. Marches: l. R M Meldrum; 2. J O Duff; 3. J Maguire, Aberdeen; 4. PM Ewing. Strathspeys and Reels: 1. Angus M’Leod; 2. J Maguire; 3. P M Ewing; 4. R M Meldrum.
G S MacLennan played at Aboyne Games sixteen times between 1904 and 1928, and was placed first for Marches every year he played there. In 1923 he won the three firsts. The full results were, Piobaireachd: 1. G S MacLennan, 2. W Ross, 3. G Cruickshank, 4. PM Mathieson. March: 1. G S MacLennan, 2. W Ross, 3. J Duff, 4. D R MacLennan. Strathspey and Reel: 1. G S MacLennan, 2. W Ross, 3. G Cruickshank, 4. equal R B Nicol and R U Brown.
It was customary at Aboyne for the competing pipers in a group to play round the arena. In 1930 PM Robert Meldrum aged 83 led the march. The results that year were, Piobaireachd: 1. M R Macpherson, 2. R B Nicol, 3. J Wilson, 4. W Barrie. March: 1. M R Macpherson, 2. W Barrie, 3. G Cruickshank, 4. Equal J Wilson and W Grant. Strathspey and Reel: 1. W Barrie, G Cruickshank, 3. J Wilson, 4. W Grant.
In 1932 the results were, Piobaireachd: 1. R Reid, 2. M R McPherson, 3. John Wilson, 4. R Brown. March: 1. R Reid, 2. John Wilson, 3. G Cruickshank, 4. Wm Ross. Strathspey and Reel: 1. John Wilson, 2. J B Robertson, 3. Wm Ross, 4. C D Scott.
In 1935 the results were, Piobaireachd: 1. R Reid, 2. M R MacPherson, 3. R B Nicol. March: 1. J B Robertson, 2. J Wilson, 3. G A Greenfield, 4. G Cruickshank, R Reid. Strathspey and Reel: 1. John Wilson, 2. J B Robertson, 3. G Cruickshank, 4. R U Brown, R B Nicol.
The 1938 results were, Piobaireachd: 1. John Wilson, 2. J B Robertson, 3. D R MacLennan, 4. G Cruickshank. March: 1. D R MacLennan, 2. G Cruickshank, 3. John Wilson, 4. J B Robertson. Strathspey and Reel: 1. J B Robertson, 2. G Cruickshank, 3. D R MacLennan, 4. John Wilson. This was the last Aboyne Games until 1946 when the results were, Piobaireachd: 1. J B Robertson, 2. R B Nicol, 3. G Cruickshank, 4. D R MacLennan. March: 1. J B Robertson, 2. G Cruickshank, 3. D R MacLennan, 4. C D Scott.
According to the Piping Times a Pipers’ strike was staged at Aboyne Games in 1958. ‘The Games committee had decreed that the judges this year would sit apart, mark out points sheets, and the completed sheets would then be tallied by an independent person, with the highest number being that of the winner. However, the Pipers, having had a taste of this already in Aberdeenshire, and disliking it entirely, flatly refused to compete until the usual procedure was adopted. In the course of discussion with the piping convener, it was found that they had decided to adopt this new system (at least for solo pipers) because they had complaints from the general public about the results in bygone years. It was quickly pointed out that the general public had little to do with the competition except enjoy it, and that the result was a matter between the judges and the pipers. The arrival on the scene of one of the “Big Guns” in the piping world soon clinched matters when, he condemned the system out of hand, and the pipers were able to play under what is a tried and accepted method, despite there being many a time, as no doubt in the future will also be, moans about the decisions. Aboyne games are very important, as the standard asked from pipers is higher than at any other competition, with the exception of perhaps three or four others. A list of six Piobaireachd, six Marches, six Strathspeys and Reels has to be handed in by competitors, so it is only reasonable that the piper should have a say under which system he is to be judged, and not be dictated to by a committee which decides to make changes without notifying intending competitors in advance, then if the piper does not want to compete, he is saved the expense of a journey. The results were, Piobaireachd: 1. James Young, I got a kiss of the King’s Hand. 2. J MacDougall. 3. I MacFadyen. 4. D Morrison. March: 1. James Young, Miss Elspeth Campbell. 2. John MacLellan. 3. John MacDougall. 4. (Equal) L Turrell and R U Brown. Strathspey and Reel: 1. John MacLellan, Blair Drummond, the Smith of Chilliehassie. 2. Donald Morrison. 3.James Young. The Piobaireachd was judged by Angus MacPherson, Donald MacLennan, and Charles Scott; and March, Strathspey and Reel by PM Alex. MacDonald, PM James Robertson, and Mr Ewing.’
Aboyne has given its name to the prescribed attire for female dancers, which is known as the Aboyne Dress. In the early years all Highland dancers were male but when female dancers first appeared they wore kilts, sporrans, bonnets and medals like the male dancers. The Aboyne committee saw this as a problem and felt that the female and male dancers should not be wearing the same outfits. About 1949, the committee banned female dancers from wearing the kilt, sporran or medals. By 1952, they introduced an alternative attire of white blouse, tartan skirt and long black stockings, then for the September 1954 games, a new style of dress was introduced for female dancers. Approved by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, it was a skirt of light-weight tartan worn over a white petticoat, with a plaid of the same tartan material and a tight fitting sleeveless velvet corsage over a white blouse. The men would continue to dance in traditionally male kilt and jacket, wearing bonnets and sporrans. The original decision of the Aboyne committee applied to both the Highland dances and the National dances. The Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing a few years later modified the dress code so the Aboyne dress would be used by women for just the national dances, and a kilt-based outfit (without bonnet or sporran) for the Highland dances.
This was the subject of a Piping Times editorial in 1952, ‘The new dress proposed for lady dancers by Aboyne Highland Games Committee has produced the expected controversy and ballyhoo. Based on the traditional dress as worn by Highland ladies some centuries ago, it is a decided improvement on the garb as worn by female dancers in recent years. Our opinion on this, however, is of no more importance than the opinion of the next man, but unfortunately we are all slowly being dragged into the argument as it widens its scope. The normal writer may be complimented, perhaps, for taking the opportunity of exposing once again the ridiculous attire affected by girl Highland dancers (the little horrors), but it is surely out of order to start complaining about the kilt as worn by our individual pipers. Mr Alastair M Dunnet, writing in the Sunday Times, appears to hope that Aboyne Committee will take some action to restrict civilian solo pipers from wearing uniform which resembles the army piper’s outfit, and hints darkly – selling Scotland once again for a handful of bawbees from his Sassenach employers – that the worst that they wear is not to be seen. Mr. Dunnet has obviously never been at Aboyne Games or at any other Highland Gathering in recent years. He may look up back numbers of the Piping Times and take shelter behind the excuse that he was talking about band pipers, but the context was Aboyne and he said bagpipe players. There is no need to point out to Scottish readers that the day of the complicated outfit is long past. In recent years the only professionals to wear plaids have been James MacGrady and Mickey MacKay, both army pipe majors. It is significant to note that Donald MacLeod, George Stoddart, John MacLellan and other army men manage to avoid wearing a plaid of any kind, and members of bands with complicated uniforms such as John MacDonald, Charles Scott, John Garroway, John C Johnston, James MacColl, all appear on the solo platform in kilt and tweed jacket. The Sunday Times should be sure that its writers know their subject.’
The 1965 results were, Piobaireachd: 1. John MacDougall; 2. Wm MacDonald; 3. R Barron, St. Andrews; 4. Neil MacEachern, Islay. March: J Miller; 2. R MacCallum; 3. John MacDougall; 4. Cpl. Harrap. Strathspey and Reel: 1. John MacDougall; 2. J Miller; 3. D Stewart; 4. R Barron.
The 1967 Aboyne Highland Games on Wednesday 6th September was advertised as the Centenary Games. The results were, Piobaireachd: 1. W MacDonald; 2. Donald Bain; 3. equal John MacDougall and Bert Barron. March: 1. John MacDougall; 2. Donald Bain; 3. Donald Morrison; 4. Bert Barron. Strathspey and Reel: 1. John MacDougall; 2. Donald Bain; 3. H Stevenson; 4. Donald Morrison.
Games Day at Aboyne by H J Ewen appears in the Edcath Collection Book 1 in 1953.
