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  1. #1
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    18th March 21
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    Question Help with unlabeled photo

    Hello. Since I'm new, I'll give a quick bio. My family has a number of Scottish roots. I'm not a direct descendant, but up in the branches of the family tree I know I have plenty. My grandfather was Irish born and I I'm still working on that part of my tree.
    But on to the photo. When the last of my family passed, I was left with a large collection of mostly unlabeled photos. In those photos were a number that look to be of a pipe and drum band, most likely local, but can't be sure.
    My family has lived in Vermont many years, so it was New England somewhere?
    1-26-2019 16-37-40_003.jpg
    Any help with the when, where and why of the photo(s) will be greatly appreciated. I can comb the local papers if I have more information to start the search.
    I can post some others of the same group if that would be helpful.
    Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
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    17th December 14
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    just a guess

    If I had to guess I would say it looks like the late fifties or early sixties from the dress they are wearing. That all girl band may be from Antigonish Nova Scotia. That's the way I remember them looking back then.

  3. #3
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    22nd March 07
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    Zoomed in as much as can be done, the flag in the farground does appear to be a US flag.

    Frank
    Drink to the fame of it -- The Tartan!
    Murdoch Maclean

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  5. #4
    Join Date
    28th May 13
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    Welcome to the forum from Western Canada!
    "Good judgement comes from experience, and experience
    well, that comes from poor judgement."
    A. A. Milne

  6. #5
    Join Date
    10th October 08
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    Louisville, Kentucky, USA (38° 13' 11"N x 85° 37' 32"W gets you close)
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    It's a massed bands from a Highland Games for certain, probably for the opening ceremonies (ten AM to noon-ish by the shadows).

    I would hazard to guess maybe mid-to-late 1970's due to the different uniform styles. OC Richard has indicated in other of his posts that the pipe band world in the 1960's was usually wearing either formal wear (Prince Charlie coatees, lace jabots, etc.) with Balmorals or military-style Number 1 dress (tunics, spats, etc. like the band with the bearskins & white hackles). It appears some of these bands are wearing Glengarries and short sleeve shirts. On the far right, I can see the Fraser Highlanders reenactment group. Center right, left of the band with the bearskins & white hackles appears to be a youth band.

    Good luck in puzzling this out. I have gone though some old family photos before, finding some unlabeled as well. Fortunately, Dad remembered who/what/where for most of them, so we promptly wrote that info out on the backs. I have since then gone thorough my photos and labeled them. Digital photos, when saved to the PC, get renamed with the subject matter/date as the file name (at the folder level at the very least).
    John

  7. #6
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    16th March 20
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    Back in the (19)70's and 80's there were Highland Games in Vermont. I disremember the town as I didn't attend, but I'm sure someone will remember. The time would be right, and the Fraser's band were gaining at the time. That might be where though.

  8. #7
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    8th October 12
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    Welcome to the great rabble; and good luck with your research. I might start with other photos first, as it would might well be easier to identify the bands if you could see the uniforms more clearly. As someone mentioned there were/are several big gatherings in the northeastern US, so Vermont, New Hampshire New York makes sense. Someone also said the reenactors were Fraser Highlanders, but I think that is an error. The tartan looks more like Black Watch than Fraser. I know there is at least one 42nd reenactment group in northern New York state.

    CORRECTION: I was wrong. I shared your photo with a friend who was a member of the 42nd and he said that he thought the reenactors may well be the Mohawk Valley Fraser Highlanders. Unlike the 78th Fraser Highlanders of Canada, the Mohawk Valley group does wear black watch tartan and those distinctive hose. My bad. The presence of this group I would think, further indicates your photo is from the US northeast.
    Last edited by plaid preacher; 19th March 21 at 08:49 AM.

  9. #8
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    9th September 16
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    the Mohawk uniform

    Quote Originally Posted by plaid preacher View Post
    Welcome to the great rabble; and good luck with your research. I might start with other photos first, as it would might well be easier to identify the bands if you could see the uniforms more clearly. As someone mentioned there were/are several big gatherings in the northeastern US, so Vermont, New Hampshire New York makes sense. Someone also said the reenactors were Fraser Highlanders, but I think that is an error. The tartan looks more like Black Watch than Fraser. I know there is at least one 42nd reenactment group in northern New York state.

    CORRECTION: I was wrong. I shared your photo with a friend who was a member of the 42nd and he said that he thought the reenactors may well be the Mohawk Valley Fraser Highlanders. Unlike the 78th Fraser Highlanders of Canada, the Mohawk Valley group does wear black watch tartan and those distinctive hose. My bad. The presence of this group I would think, further indicates your photo is from the US northeast.
    Here is a link to the Mohawk Valley Fraser Highlanders web page, specifically their Uniform page. It shows both the original uniform, like that shown in your picture, and their new uniform that went into use in the 1990's. https://www.mohawkvalleyfrasers.com/uniform.html
    The hielan' man he wears the kilt, even when it's snowin';
    He kens na where the wind comes frae, But he kens fine where its goin'.

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  11. #9
    Join Date
    18th March 21
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    More hints-other photos

    In this photo, the radios they are using are around 1960 vintage:
    1-26-2019 17-2-22_020.jpg

  12. #10
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    29th April 18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hinter View Post
    In this photo, the radios they are using are around 1960 vintage:
    1-26-2019 17-2-22_020.jpg
    A bit later than that- but not much. The radios look like 27MHZ portable CB radios. I'd date them 65-70. Still a large radio to hang off one's belt. It's not until the mid-seventies and the CB radio craze that the smaller radios are created but they still need huge antennas ( because 27 MHZ).

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