Background to the band

The original band was formed as a Boys Brigade Band in 1931. Practice nights were held in the Scouts Hall (the old Lennel Knitwear factory by the Tennis Club). A fellow called Ken Chisholm who was a gardener at Carham Hall gave piping instruction. Pipers were William Beggs, Tom Pearson, George Walker and Willie Kinghorn who later played with the Scots Guards. Drummers were Ronald Orr, Mick Watson and Tich Bryson, Ian Hunter joined later as drum major along with piper Eddie Cunningham, who did so much to take the band forward.

The band used to turn out once a month for church parades and local events such as Duns Show until the outbreak of World War II. After the war, the band was reformed, and uniforms were purchased in 1950, the drums were purchased in 1951. The men responsible for this were Boys Brigade Captain, Bob Ormiston, who had a drapers shop in the town and Eddie Cunningham, a well-known local Barber.

The tartan chosen was Cameron of Erracht because Bob had been a serving member of the Cameron Highlanders. Presenting Coldstream presented the original mace in 1952. This mace still survives today, and was carried on Flodden Day 2002 to commemorate the 50th Cavalcade to Flodden Field.

Members of the Boys Brigade Band held a meeting in 1979 where it was decided to form a town band, which would be named the Coldstream Pipe Band. Money was raised to buy new uniforms and it was at a coffee morning in the old Town Hall that the people of Coldstream were asked to pick a new tartan for the band. The one chosen is the now familiar Nova Scotia, which includes the town colours of blue and white.

The band wears the Cunningham hat badge in memory of its early mentor and good friend, Eddie Cunningham.

The Boys Brigade band was continued by the late Captain Alistair Brown-Scott. The BB band toured the UK and saw many young pipers and drummers pass through its ranks. Several former members still play in the town band Neil Moffat, Ian Cockburn, Peter Meikle and John Lauder are all graduates of the BB band from the 1980's and Rob Bell, James Bell, Gordon Thompson and Bob Lillie from its earlier version.

In 1985 the boys brigade band and the town band joined together to form the town band as it exists today.

We continue to grow and develop and are a sustainable and essential part of the make up of the Town. From travelling to local shows, we broadened our travel and in the last few years have played all over Europe.

We meet every Monday night in the School Hall and all are welcome.