Relics of an 18th century Lowland pipemaker

Keith Sanger investigates a set of bellows pipe drones in the collections of the National Museum of Scotland

AMONG the incomplete sets of bagpipes among the collections of the National Museum of Scotland there is a set of drones in a common stock marked “Nicholas Kerr Edinburgh”. The bag is still attached and is designed for bellows use. Apart from Hugh Cheape's suggested dating of it being 18th century, little else was known about the maker. (1)

The    combination    of     the forename Nicholas with Kerr was not that common at the time and due to the fact that in Scotland Nicholas was used for both male and female Christian names means that its occurrence could be further narrowed in the search for the pipemaker. (2)

The 18th century common stock and drones from the museum collection.

The older Scots form of the surname Kerr was spelt Carr, and it seems fairly certain that we can identify the pipemaker with a Nicholas Carr who was a piper in Gordon of Glenbucket's Regiment fighting on the Jacobite side during the 45. The piper, who was described as coming from Huntly, was captured at the surrender of Carlisle, but at his trial at York on the 2 October 1746, it was proved that he had been forced into the regiment and that he had deserted at Carlisle so he was subsequently acquitted.(3)

His next appearance is in Edinburgh in 1766, when as Nicolas Kerr Musician in Lady Yesters Kirk Parish, he married Mary Alexander, daughter of the deceased Robert Alexander Smith, on the 7th December.(4) He died in 1773 and musician was also the description used when his testament was recorded in October of that year, but although the presence of a violin might suggest he played more than just the pipes, the inventory clearly indicates he was involved in pipemaking and probably repair.

The inventory, in the practice of that period, was written with no punctuation marks and some words were contracted. In the following transcript these have been expanded with italics but otherwise the original spellings are retained. Space had been left for the actual date of his death but this had been left blank. It is unclear whether the valuers had any experience of pipemaking, the general impression is probably not, so it is possible that

what they called a “Loom and Bench” was in fact some sort of treadle lathe.

18 Oct 1773

The Testament dative & Inventory of the Goods & Gear which were pertaining and belonging to umqu Nicholas Kerr Musician in Edr at the time of his decease who died there upon the day faithfully made and given up by Mary Kerr Widow of and only Executive and Relict discerned to the s[ai]d defunct her husband and that by Decrete of the Commss of Edr as the same dated the 29 Sept 1773 years in itself at more length proports.

Follows the Inventary

In the first the said defunct had pertaining and belonging to him at the time of his decease forsaid the goods and gear afterwritten of the……………...

aftermentioned Viz 2 pairs of Bagpipes three pounds three shillings one pair Ditto ten shillings an old pair Seven shillings & sixpence Item three pieces of a pair of Bagpipes near finished Seven shill and Sixpence Item about eighteen Chanters some of them unbored others of them broken & useless & some of them rent valued at five shillings Item a box with several pieces of old flutes drones and Chanters and other Instruments which were made use of by the deceased for making up new Instruments most of them good for nothing but the fire three shillings & Sixpence Item an old Chest with Several working Towels which being Iron are become rusty for want of use and of little value three Shillings Item a loom & Bench ten shillings Item a violin Seven Shilligs & Sixpence Item a Hautboy three Shillings Household furniture Viz A bed and Cloths one pound five Shillings Item a Chest of drawers pretty old & were and a Chest fifteen Shillings Item an amry & half a doz Chairs much broke Seven Shillings and sixpence Item a Chimney & Tongs two Shillings & Sixpence Item a Shelf of plates three Shillings Item a Table fourpence Item the deceased Body Cloths one pound All making money Extending the value of the Goods & Gear before written in total to £9-19 which in Scots money £119-8

Summa of the Inventory £C & xix = viii (Edinburgh Commissary Court Records, CC8/8/122)

References

• Cheape, Hugh, A Check-List of Bagpipes in the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments, (1983). Number 1358, page 4-5.

• My thanks-to Paul Parr at the General Register Office for Scotland for his help in confirming the unisex use of

• Seton, Sir Bruce Gordon, and Arnot, Jean Gordon, The Prisoners of the '45, edited from the State Scottish History Society, vol 2, (1929). Number 440.

• P.RMarriages 685/00104900322 Edinburgh.