Our History
The Wellington Red Hackle Story
The Beginning
In July 1959, the idea to form a local pipe band was first mooted by some members of the then Tawa Caledonian Society and following the inaugural meeting in October 1958, chaired by Colin Campbell, a committee was formed and the band established. Two side drums were donated by the Society.
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The first public parade was at the Caledonian Society’s Highland Games on Labour Day 1959 with band members wearing grey trousers, white shirts and Campbell tartan ties.
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By 1961 the Band had amassed sufficient funds to buy its first complete set of uniforms and members wore them to their first uniformed parade at the opening of Tawa College in July 1961, by the then Governor-General, Viscount Cobham.
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Finding a Home
Initial practices were held in the wrestling hall in Findlay Street. In the centre was a HUGE wrestling mat, which we were not allowed to look at, let alone tread on. And we won’t mention the neighbours, who didn’t always appreciate the sound.
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The Tawa Borough Council came to the rescue circa late 1970s with the offer of an old factory in Redwood, with the Band paying a peppercorn rental with the right to renew. And so we “acquired” our new hall and have been upgrading it ever since.
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From Strength to Strength
The Band has been through a few evolutions, becoming the Wellington Red Hackle in 2013. Since that time, the Band pivoted to a greater focus on competition excellence and has developed into Wellington City’s premier pipe band.
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Nowadays we find ourselves competing all over the country with bands in four separate grades - Grade 3, Grade 4A, Grade 4B and Juvenile.
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The Band has won National Championships in Grade 3 and Grade 4B and achieved several top three finishes as well, with its highest domestic honour being a second place in the 2018 Grade 2 National Championships. The Band’s most recent success was achieving two first places and a second place at the World Online Piping and Drumming Championships in 2022.
The Present
The Band is active in the local community, participating in many local activities and events such as Christmas and ANZAC parades, ceilidhs, concerts and other charity events.
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We have members from many walks of life but with a common passion for playing pipe band music and enjoying the environment the band creates, which fosters friendship, learning and teamwork. We enjoy contributing to the cultural and social fabric of our society and you are welcome to come and spend an evening with us at one of our practices and see if it is something you would like to be part of.
