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Trades |
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Some of the early professional photographers were also involved in other
trades, but John Center is the only professional photographer I know of
who also earned his living as a bagpipe maker.
Today, his bagpipes are rather more sought after than his photos. |
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John Center
first appeared in the Edinburgh trade directories in
1865. No occupation given. In later years, he was described
as:
|
1866 to 1868 |
'Photographer' |
| 1869 to 1880 |
'Photographer, Bagpipe
and Reed Maker' |
| 1881 to 1908 |
'Bagpipe and Reed Maker' |
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Addresses |
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Addresses
The photographic business ended around 1880. The bagpipe
business continued.
|
Year |
Business Address |
Home Address |
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1882-86
|
3a
Grove Street |
3 Grove Street |
|
1886-89
|
161 Morrison Street |
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1889-95 |
1 Grove Street |
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1891
|
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20 Angle Park
Terrace |
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1901
|
64 Grove Street
Note 1 |
20 Angle Park
Terrace |
|
1896-08
|
20 Angle Park Terrace |
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Note 1: This was the address of a Bagpipe and Reed Manufacture
Company business being run by John Center and his brother, William, in
1901. |
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Family Business
|
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John's brother William
may also have been involved in running the Bagpipe and Reed Manufacture
Company at 64 Grove Street in 1901.
The bagpipe shop was later taken over by James Robertson. |
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One of the workers in
John Center's bagpipe business was Robert Gillanders. He later
married John's eldest daughter, Jane Isabella (Jeanie Bella) in 1893.
Descendants of Robert
Gillanders went on to run a bagpipe-making business in Edinburgh,
Gillanders & McLeod. Bob Gillanders, a one-time partner in the
business died around early 1990s. He was a grandson of John
Center's eldest daughter. |
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Emigration to Australia
|
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John and most of his family emigrated to Australia in 1908,
several years after the death of his wife, Jean,
In Australia, John continued his
bagpipe-making business.
© |
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John Center
Composer
and
Bagpipe Player
© |
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Bagpipe Tunes
An Edinburgh Pipe Major once composed a bagpipe tune about John
Center.
Apparently John piped with such passion that his cap kept falling over
his eyes.
The
tune composed about him had the title: 'Center's Bonnet' |
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The bagpipe tune
Farewell to the Highlands
was written by another member of the family, John Allan "Jack"
Senter. |
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Thank you to Veronika Ihlenfeldt for
details above.
John Center was a brother of Veronika's great great
grandmother. |
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1.
John Center Bagpipes
For Sale - 2003 |
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Two "handmade sets of
John Center bagpipes" were auctioned on eBay, UK in 2003 by a seller
in Perth, Western Australia. They were bought by one of the
leading bagpipe players in the USA.
For further details of this sale, including photographs of the
bagpipes, please click on the link below:
Bagpipe Photographs |
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Thank you to
Craig Kimberley McLernon, Perth, Western Australia
for telling me about this sale.
|
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2.
John Center Bagpipes
Not For Sale - 2006 |
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Thank
you to George Nisbet, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, Scotland for
telling me, in February 2006, about another set of John Center bagpipes.
This set is not for sale!
George
wrote:
"I have a set of Center
pipes, year of manufactured approx 1901.
The name on the chanter is J
Center & Son, Edinburgh. They are made from African Blackwood with
ivory mounts. I had them valued last year for insurance purposes at
approx. £3,700.
I inherited these pipes from my
dad who used to play with Pumpherston Pipe Band as a boy.
He inherited them from his
grandad (my great grandad) who also used to play. He lived in
Dumfries. He bought the pipes new, approx. 1906ish.
I myself play with the City of
Brechin Pipe Band, so they're still singing!" |
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Acknowledgement: George Nisbet, Aberdeenshire,
Scotland
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