L-R “Jack the Piper” MacDonald and Allan Cameron, both born in Springfield, Antigonish County. The 1940 Highland Games. Photographer: Ronnie Jaques. Courtesy of National Archives of Canada.
Source: Library and Archives Canada/Ronny Jaques fonds/e010979691
John Hugh “Jack the Piper” MacDonald (1885-1971) worked as head carpenter at StFX for many years. Jack was named official piper of the Highland Society in 1935. “During the war, Jack loaned his instrument to a military piper who was going overseas. He stated that if his pipes did not come back safely from the war, he would never play the bagpipes again. He never did” (see Danny Gillis, 2013, The Highland Games, p. 30).
Allan Cameron (1903-1996) placed first in the junior piping category in the 1922 Highland Games– his first appearance. In 1937 Allan was named official piper of the Antigonish Highland Society. He continued to play in bands until the late 1960s. He was a favourite of Highland dancers and played for them at the Games for more than 50 years. Allan worked for many years for Nova Scotia Tourism at the New Brunswick border and the Canso Causeway. Asked by the Edinburgh City Police pipe band when they performed in Antigonish, “What part of Scotland are you from?” Allan answered in his thick but authentic Highland accent, “Och, I live just down the road” (ibid, Danny Gillis, p. 30).