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Hello everyone out there,
I am trying to find the family of Colin Campbell, a famous bagpiper who lived at Ardmaddy in Argyll, Scotland, in the late 1700's. He had a son John Campbell (b 1795) who was also a famous piper, and John went on to be the piper to Shawlands in Islay.
Colin was the writer of bagpipe music and 2 volumes of his music have been preserved (now in National Libarary of Scotland) The 3rd volume - we know this existed - has been lost for over 200 years. This search is mainly to try and find the lost 3rd volume
I know something of Colin's family tree and will detail this now... Colin's father was Donald b 1726 approx. Colin's sons apart from John were Donald (1796-1841/2) and William (1794-1870). William went on to be a tailor in Glasgow, marrying Ann McNicol in 1823, 3 children = William, John, and a daughter. The trail ends there
Donald mentioned above (b 1796) married Isabella MacKenzie (1790 - 1875) on 13.1.1827. They had 5 children, Colin (1827), Ann (1827-1913), Donald (1830) Alex (1834) and Mary (1836). We don't know anything about any of these children except mary (see below). From a musical viewpoint Ann (who lived in Oban)is our clue to the past, as she had in her possession the 2 books which are now in the National Library. She never married and her death was recorded by her neice Alexandrina Sinclair (see below).
So Mary Campbell (b 1826) is our only known link to the previous generations - we know she married Duncan Sinclair in 1869, and they had 5 kids - Alexandrina, Flora, Neil Douglas, and Donald Campbell. Neil Douglas Sincalir died in 1898, and Donald Campbell Sinclair in 1904. Flora married someone called Sinclair in 1907 in Blythswood Glasgow
Finally Alexandrina Sinclair married a lawyer called Gladstone Lawson Henderson in 1901. We know they had a son GS Henderson cos his name is on Gladstone's death record (1947). Gladstone worked in St Vincent St in Glasgow in a firm called Jameson, MacLae and Baird. He has such an unusual name, that I thought we could find him easily, but it hasn't been the case.
So that ends the long story. I have lots of other info on these people and will try and construct a family tree on this site (ie the family tree of colin campbell).
The music we are looking for, incidentally, is not written music on the stave, but a form of "singing" which allowed pipers to teach each other tunes. If you want a look at some, go to the following link - it may look a bit incomprehensiable, but I could explain it to you if you like. The book (if it has survived) would look like this - and thus may be sitting in someone's house, as a long-lost incomprehensible family treasure
Sorry for the long story - I am a bagpiper myself and new to the geneology business. Any advice on how to proceed would be gratefully received. If you think you might be arelative of any of the above please get in touch. If you find the manuscript in the attic, get in touch also (that's a long shot, but worth asking
here's the link...
front page...
http://www.piobaireachd.co.uk/images/stories/Campbellcant/frontspiece.pdf
specimen of the "music" , in this case it is Colins version of the tune "The Lament for the Only Son" ....
http://www.piobaireachd.co.uk/images/stories/Campbellcant/onlyson.pdf
Best wishes
Peter
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