William Lawrie

Who is William Lawrie?

William Lawrie - Gaelic, Uilleam Labhruidh/Laobhrach was born into a slate quarrying family in Ballachulish, Argyll and was the son of Hugh Lawrie, who gave him his first lessons on the Highland bagpipes. He is remembered as a composer for the bagpipes although only about twenty of his tunes survive. His most celebrated compositions include The Pap Of Glencoe, The Battle Of The Somme and Inverary Castle. In 1914 he became Pipe Major of the 8th Argyllshire Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and served with them in France from 1915 to 1916 when he became ill as a result of trench conditions. He was invalided to England where he died in the Third Southern General Hospital in Oxford, leaving behind his wife and three children. A 'marbhrann' was written upon his death by the Islay bard Duncan Johnston who was a close personal friend.

His bagpipes are now on display in The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum in Stirling Castle.