Hi Bev
This is what the boys remember about the pipe band and roughly the dates.

1980 was when they first started being taught by your father Andrew started about this time and Matthew a year later, your father was already established as the pipe major at this time and he had been doing it for a couple of years prior and before that he was one of the pipers.

1980 the band was called The city of Bristol pipe band and they were already getting some success at competitions throughout England but it was right at the start of a very successful period for the band as I think it was at this time your father was building a band to play the way in which he wanted and I listened to quite a few discussions he had with Tom Pattison who was training the drummers about the way forward for the band.

1982 saw the band really starting to get noticed as they starting to become very strong with a mixture of senior players blending in with some younger players both on the pipes and the drums, they would regularly win their grade which was grade four and be about fifth or  sixth in the next grade up grade three.

About this time there was an increase in band parctice sessions to three times a week and there was a marked rise in the bands performance.

1983 saw the band start to not only win  in the grade four but also started to win occassionally in the next grade up and ultimately this led to the band being risen to grade three so could then compete in the higher grade which would go up against very strong bands such as the Scots guards piping school,
It was about 1984 the band were put into grade three and this was when the band was starting to get its own unique sound which was the sound your father was after it was down to his skill nobody else in the band came near to his skill at achieving this sound and of all the bands  they competed against none came close to this sound.

As well as success with the band they also had success palying in minibads and trios in indoor competitions also your dad had some of the young players enter solo competitions also with some success, only once I saw your dad play in a solo competitin and that was in Wolverampton and he was brilliant and won easily and I think if he wanted he could have won a lot of these competitions but I think his heart was in palying with the band.

Around this time the band changed its name to The Bristol and Cwmbran pipe band in recognition of the four pipers from Cwmbran, it was 1984 saw the band win the English championship and come second in the next grade up and then they went up to Dunoon to compete against the Scottish bands, they went up with high hopes and although they didnt win they gave the Scottish bands a bit of a fright.

The band were still being successful right up to 1987/88 when they amalgamted with a Cardiff band and become the Welsh Piping society and again kept improving as a band. It was at this time Andrew left the band when he went to University and the year later Matthew went away to University so also left the band. After this period I lost touch with the band so perhaps David can fill in the rest.
I think your father most enjoyed teaching youngsters and he had great enjoyment and pride watching them compete and all the people he taught all turned out good pipers.

All the best and give your mum our best wishes
Peter, Andrew and Matthew