The Last Post

Michael Foley witnessed the end of an era

- Michael Foley

Remembrance Day 2024 saw the end of an institution that has been in place for almost 95 years. The Dagenham Girl Pipers were the creation of the Reverend Joseph Groves whose unlikely idea of forming a female pipe band took root in 1930. There were a number of reasons why the idea was unlikely to succeed.

The pipes had, throughout history, been a male dominated activity. And the idea of pipers in tartan was connected to Scotland, while Groves' idea was that his female band would be formed in the then Essex town of Dagenham.

However unlikely the idea seemed; local girls, looking for something to do, flocked to join.

The girls' first performance was for their families, but the idea was so unusual that it attracted a much larger audience which included not only the local press but a film crew from the newsreels. The fame of this somewhat unusual group spread quickly.