Interview of Hugh Aird

Hugh Aird Nov. 22 2011 Born: Hugh Norman Aird in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1925. Moved to Vancouver at age 2. Older sister Catherine Marian born in 1918. Father: Born in Lochinver, Sutherland, Scotland in 1890. Came with his parents to Winnipeg in 1904. Served his apprenticeship under his father. Enrolled in the Canadian Army in 1915, and was shipped to France in 1916. Severely wounded, and spent the rest of the war in hospital in England. Discharged in Winnipeg in 1919. Two sisters and one brother. One sister married a man in Winnipeg from the Isle of Skye. Paternal Grandfather: Cabinetmaker, born in 1864. Built the interior of a hotel in Lochinver which still stands today. Later, the family moved up to Scourie. Gaelic speaking household. Immigrated to Canada in 1904. Not particularly religious. Brother Hector also settled in Winnipeg. They considered settling in St. Kilda and North Carolina before settling on Canada. Moved to Vancouver in retirement. John Robertson, a piper from Edmonton, visited them every year, and started a Pipe Band which Hugh joined. Paternal Grandmother: Margaret Sutherland. Hugh recalls his granny Sutherland made great pancakes, and would boil her tea in an aluminum pot. She never spoke Gaelic with him. Paternal Great-Grandfather: John Aird. Paternal Great-Grandmother: Catherine MacPherson. Mother: Maiden name: Morrison. Born in Scourie, Sutherland, Scotland. Brother Donald served in Second World War, and suffered from "shellshock" upon returning to Scourie. Another brother named Norman, graduated from Edinburgh University, passed away shortly after from meningitis. She had two sisters, and all three women became nurses. Gaelic speaking household, but were under strict instructions to speak English by their parents. Served as a nurse during World War One, which may have been where she met Hugh's father. Married in 1917. Travelled back to Scotland in 1924 to introduce her daughter to her parents. Maternal Grandfather: Donald Morrison. Innkeeper. Maternal Grandmother: Marian Monroe. Hugh and his wife lived in England for a time and often travelled to Scotland, but did not visit Scourie. Wife: Joanne Murdeina Nicholson. Met in 1950, 10 months later, they were married. Grew up in a Gaelic speaking household, parents from North Lewis. Her older sister was born there, while she and her brothers were born in Canada. Deeply religious family, attended Highland Church. She refused to be married in the Church. She could understand the Gaelic speakers when she travelled back to Lewis with Hugh, but couldn't speak it. Joanne was active in the Gaelic Choir for many years. Cousin's husband owned the only pub on North Lewis. Many family members had a fear of boats, likely due to the history on the Islands of deaths at sea between fishing accidents and others. A boat full of returning WWI soldiers had been lost in 1919. Mother: Maiden name Margaret MacLellan, also born in North Lewis. There have been very few Pipe Majors out of Lewis, Hugh mentions a legend that at one point the people of the island had been convinced to burn their pipes and fiddles, effectively stamping out generations of musicians. Schooling in Vancouver: Attended Hastings School, Franklin School, Templeton School, Vancouver Technical High School, and University of British Columbia. Worked in Pacific Mills during the summer for two weeks while attending university, and injured his foot, resulting in him being off work, and didn't return to school in the fall. Worked for the Liquor Control Board for a time. Began work for Shell Oil in 1949, and was employed with them for 33 years. Transferred to Oakville, Ontario, in 1962 to start a new refinery. Transferred again to Sarnia, Ontario until 1975. Then transferred to England for 2 years developing the plans for Sarnia. Requested his family to be transferred to Vancouver, while he worked the main office in Calgary, and commuted back and forth for 2 years before retiring in 1982. Children: 3 daughters, born 1951, 1953, 1960, Deborah Margaret, Elizabeth Joanne, and Joanne Louise. All enjoy the pipes, but did not play. Hugh's cousin Colin Sutherland played the bagpipes, and so he always knew he would do the same. His grandfather also played piping records such as Willie Ross. Malcolm Nicholson was his first teacher. Donald MacIver asked him to join his band at age 11, which he did until age 14. Joined the Seaforth Cadets in 1939 and stayed until 1944. He taught the Glengarry Girl's Pipe Band for one year. Hugh ended up being invited to the Army Piping School in Edinburgh Castle, but was unable to attend, as the Korean War broke out. He was a member of the Seaforth Highlander's Pipe Band at the time, and continued to play with them until he moved to Ontario in 1962. Ed Esson was Pipe Major. Many men returned to the band after going to war, and they were a great group. Many Scots said of war, "You need to remember the good, and forget the bad". Hugh picked up bagpiping again as an adult while working in Redding, England. Hugh served as a pallbearer at Ed Esson's funeral in 1983, and Ed willed Hugh his set of pipes. He continued to play them until about a year ago, and passed them over to the Seaforth Highlander's in Vancouver. Hugh had introduced himself to Ed at the 1946 Games. The Highlanders requested Hugh to take over Pipe Major when Ed passed, but he was unable to transfer his job back to Vancouver with Shell. Hugh had a successful competitive bagpiping career, but disliked competitions the more he participated. He won the BCPA's Cairn for Piobaireachd (genre) in 1946, and two times more in years following. His last competition was in 1958, in which he placed 2nd to Jimmy McMillan. Jimmy Watt and Danny Murray would have ceilidhs with Hugh at Jimmy McMillan's house. One of the greatest performances Hugh ever heard was from the Seaforth Highlanders in 1939 in which they won the Walter Douglas Trophy for Quartets. Alec Johnson, retired Pipe Major for the Vancouver Police, was Hugh's instructor for a number of years after Donald MacIver passed away. Donald MacIver had been a stonemason back in Scotland, and only had one working lung. Alec had been taught by the famous John McCull. Another memorable performance was Alec Johnson playing "The Bells of Firth". Hugh also heard John Burgess play, and was impressed with Bruce Standing's performance at the Victoria Highland Games. Hugh also studied with Kenny MacLeod for a time. He stuck close to Ed Esson after 1946. Hugh discusses the attitudes towards Neil Sutherland when he became Pipe Major of the Calgary Scottish Highlanders. He replaced a very popular Major, and it took some time for the band to warm up. He also discusses the evolution of pipe bands over time, such as the shift from drums keeping time to the Pipe Major keeping time. In 1983, Hugh was approached by the Seaforth Association to create a pipe band. They went to the Edinburgh Tattoo in 1988. Then he joined the Vancouver Police Pipe Band, and spent 10 years instructing with them. He ultimately had to give up piping due to arthritis in his hands. "Wee Donald" MacLeod was Hugh's largest bagpiping influence. Seamus MacNeill once differentiated between Highland and Lowland bagpiping techniques, where Highland method was more melodic and less technical. In Hugh's opinion, modern piping has leaned too far towards technical. Donald MacPherson was another great player, with a wonderful tone to his pipes. Hugh attended his first BC Piper's Association meeting in 1939. He found the older generation of pipers to be very helpful. The meetings were well attended in those days. They later moved meetings to the Seaman's Hall, and then to the Seaforth Highlanders in the late 1940's. The Association didn't have a lot of money to start, and was only funded through membership dues. The Gaelic Society met at the Elk's Hall, and Hugh used to attend with his granny Margaret Sutherland. Some memorable performers include Jimmy Duthie, Allister Gray, and Margaret MacDonald. The Powell River Pipe Band was a great team. There was controversy and competition between Powell River & the Seaforth Highlanders, as Seaforth always came first in drumming. Hugh describes Bill Urquheart, the piper who won the Cairn times in the years prior to Hugh's first win. Bill lived in Vancouver and was well-liked, never married. Also discusses competing with Bill Barrie. There were many great competitors who won the [MacCrimmon Memorial] Cairn for open Piobaireachd. Hugh's understanding of Piobaireachd improved as he matured. He found he enjoyed playing more once he stopped competing. The average Seaforth Cadets Band ran 12-16 pipers and 8 drummers. Hugh wanted to play with the Shriner's Pipe Band when he retired in 1982. He had to become a Freemason in order to be a Shriner, which he decided wasn't for him. In the 20 years he had been gone from Vancouver, the Pipe Bands had changed tremendously. Hugh loves Strathspeys in pipe music, and discusses how they are uniquely Scottish. He found more satisfaction playing in bands as opposed to solo. Hugh mentions the Piobaireachd Society. He also mentions the Quartet events which no longer exist in modern piping competitions.