Trevor Dear, 1939-2019

Trevor Dear, most known as an RSPBA judge for the last four decades, died on October 1, 2019, after a lengthy illness. He was 79.

Although most of today’s pipers and drummers recognize Dear as an adjudicator, he was an accomplished band piper. Most notably, he was a member of Pipe-Major Iain McLeod’s Edinburgh City Police in their formative glory years in the 1960s, and later joined the famous Grade 1 Invergordon Distillery under Pipe-Major Donald Shaw Ramsay.

Following Invergordon’s demise, Dear was pipe-major of Dingwall British Legion in the north of Scotland, taking the band from Grade 4 to Grade 1 in a decade. Though it has not competed for several years, the band continues today as simply Dingwall and continues to be sponsored by the legion.

Trevor Dear’s judging could be described as often controversial, and he was known as one who was  never afraid to call it like he thought it should be. He was often referred to affectionately as “Clever Trevor” by the bands he judged.

Our condolences to Trevor Dear’s family and friends at this difficult time.

Details of a memorial service are not yet known.