Tom Anderson new Pipe-Major of Niagara Police

Tom Anderson, the famous former pipe-major and member of several top Grade 1 bands since the 1960s, now leads the Niagara Regional Police Pipe Band of Ontario.

Anderson was offered the top spot at the Niagara Police after long-serving pipe-major Al Ash resigned in February.

Tom Anderson was a piper with the band in 2003, and has served with several Ontario bands, including the Peel Regional Police, which he led in the 1980s; the 78th Fraser Highlanders; and Glenmor in the 1970s and ’80s. With the Grade 2 Glenmor, Anderson had one of the largest pipe sections of the time, with some 22 pipers occasionally on the competition field.

According to Anderson, Niagara Police have 17 pipers, and a new drum section led by Graham Kirkwood, of the famous Kirkwood piping and drumming family of St. Catharines, Ontario. The band, which has finished as high as second in Grade 2 at the World Pipe Band Championships, still plans to attend the 2004 World’s. Niagara Police finished sixth at last year’s contest.

Before coming to Canada, Tom Anderson was pipe-major of the Grade 1 Renfrew Pipe Band, succeeding Willie Connell in the post. He also led the very successful St. Patrick’s Donaghmore Pipe Band or the Republic of Ireland, which achieved several prizes in major championships in the 1960s.

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