Dagenham Girl Piper Uniform
Object number
LDVAL 2010.5.3
Date
after 1940 – before 1949
Description
Stuart tartan kilt worn by Peggy Iris, Dagenham Girl Piper and first Pipe Major.
The Dagenham Girl Pipers were founded in 1930 as the first female pipe band in the world.
The band’s founder was Joseph Graves, Congregationalist Minister at Osborne Hall, Dagenham. He chose 12 girls from his Sunday school, average age 11, and hired a former Pipe Major to the King’s Own Scottish Borderers to teach them piping, drumming, marching and Highland dancing.
By 1933, the band had become a full-time organization, with the girls as paid employees and Rev. Graves as manager. By 1936, they were fulfilling 400 engagements a year and at busy times had four complete bands on separate tours around the world. In 1937, they appeared in Berlin before Adolf Hitler, who told Mr Graves he wished Germany had a similar band.
The Pipers celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1980, with a concert at the Barking Assembly Hall. On New Year’s Day, 2000 they gathered on the steps of the Civic Centre in Dagenham, fulfilling a pledge they had made back in 1938.
Physical description
A red and green stuart tartan, below the knee, pleated kilt.
Condition
Good
Type
Social and community organisations
Collection type
Social history
Alternative reference
Entry Number E1537 (2012-08-21)
Looking for recordsGallery
| Metadata | |
|---|---|
| Start date | after 1940 |
| End date | before 1949 |
| Institution | Valence House Museum |
| Type | Social and community organisations |
| Collection type | Social history |