G.G. Armstrong
Encyclopedia
George Grey Armstrong, was a noted player, teacher and maker of the Northumbrian smallpipes
. He lived in Hexham
, Northumberland
. He learned to play the instrument from the Clough
family, and studied pipemaking with John E. Baty.
He taught some 36 pupils, including Joe Hutton (piper)
, Tommy Breckons
and Colin Caisley, and passed on his pipemaking skills to William Cocks. From the playing of these and other pupils, it is clear that Armstrong must have been not only a fine piper but an excellent teacher. Tommy Breckons recalled learning first from Armstrong, and later from Tom Clough: Now as to the difference between Tom and George. Tom wouldn't have been much use to a novice piper.... But George had a gift for teaching a novice. He could show you how to do things. I don't quite know how he did it!..
He was widely respected as a pipemaker and repairer, in collaboration with his brother-in-law John MacCalman; the wood and metal parts were turned and shaped by MacCalman, while Armstrong's part of the work was to assemble the parts, fit the stoppers, tune the chanters, pad the keys, and reed the pipes. In 1936 he repaired an old James Reid
set for Joe Hutton (piper)
to learn on, and subsequently made two complete sets for him, in 1938 and 1943. He also repaired and re-reeded pipes for Billy Pigg
and others.
Northumbrian smallpipes
The Northumbrian smallpipes are bellows-blown bagpipes from the North East of England.In a survey of the bagpipes in the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford University, the organologist Anthony Baines wrote: It is perhaps the most civilized of the bagpipes, making no attempt to go farther than the...
. He lived in Hexham
Hexham
Hexham is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located south of the River Tyne, and was the administrative centre for the Tynedale district from 1974 to 2009. The three major towns in Tynedale were Hexham, Prudhoe and Haltwhistle, although in terms of population, Prudhoe was...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
. He learned to play the instrument from the Clough
Tom Clough
Tom Clough , known as 'The Prince of Pipers', was an English player of the Northumbrian pipes, or Northumbrian smallpipes. He had studied the instrument with the noted piper Thomas Todd, and from his own father Henry Clough...
family, and studied pipemaking with John E. Baty.
He taught some 36 pupils, including Joe Hutton (piper)
Joe Hutton (piper)
Joe Hutton was born in Halton Lea Gate, near Haltwhistle in the west of Northumberland. Like his father, Jake, he was a shepherd, and a musician - he started on the fiddle, but took up the Northumbrian smallpipes after hearing P.J. Liddell and G.G. Armstrong playing at a concert in 1936. He...
, Tommy Breckons
Tommy Breckons
Tommy Breckons lived all his life on the family farm at Bellingham, in central Northumberland. He was a noted player of the Northumbrian smallpipes.- Learning :...
and Colin Caisley, and passed on his pipemaking skills to William Cocks. From the playing of these and other pupils, it is clear that Armstrong must have been not only a fine piper but an excellent teacher. Tommy Breckons recalled learning first from Armstrong, and later from Tom Clough: Now as to the difference between Tom and George. Tom wouldn't have been much use to a novice piper.... But George had a gift for teaching a novice. He could show you how to do things. I don't quite know how he did it!..
He was widely respected as a pipemaker and repairer, in collaboration with his brother-in-law John MacCalman; the wood and metal parts were turned and shaped by MacCalman, while Armstrong's part of the work was to assemble the parts, fit the stoppers, tune the chanters, pad the keys, and reed the pipes. In 1936 he repaired an old James Reid
Robert Reid
Robert Reid may refer to:*Robert Reid , Scottish architect*Robert Reid , merchant and member of the Victorian Legislative Council*Robert Reid , American basketball player...
set for Joe Hutton (piper)
Joe Hutton (piper)
Joe Hutton was born in Halton Lea Gate, near Haltwhistle in the west of Northumberland. Like his father, Jake, he was a shepherd, and a musician - he started on the fiddle, but took up the Northumbrian smallpipes after hearing P.J. Liddell and G.G. Armstrong playing at a concert in 1936. He...
to learn on, and subsequently made two complete sets for him, in 1938 and 1943. He also repaired and re-reeded pipes for Billy Pigg
Billy Pigg
Billy Pigg was an English player of Northumbrian smallpipes. He was a Vice-President and an influential member of the Northumbrian Pipers Society from 1930 until his death.-Life and music:...
and others.