From Dagenham to the rest of the world: Read about The Dagenham Girl Pipers incredible history
Considered to be the first female pipe band in the world, the Dagenham Girl Pipers are so important to the history of East End Women. The band started out as a group of 12 young girls from a Sunday School in 1930s Dagenham. Despite having a pipe major who was reluctant to even teach them due to concerns about his own reputation, they persevered and went on to become so popular that they ended up performing at about 400 events a year, only 7 years after they were formed.
Dagenham Girl Pipers perform at the Band Stand in Barking Park c. 1950s donated by Iris Tingey
Not only is it awe-inspiring to think about the hard work and dedication it must have taken to reach that status, it’s incredible to think that the band from Dagenham were responsible for bringing the sound of bagpipes to parts of the globe for the very first time when they visited places including West Africa and the Middle East. They also toured countries including Belgium and Germany around the time WWII broke out meaning they had to flee from danger.
After the War in the 1950s the band travelled to:
Holland
Brussels
Paris
South Africa
Canada
USA
During their time in the States they ended up visiting 19 cities in 20 days. They had even previously performed for Eleanor Roosevelt.
When celebrating the band’s milestone of 30 years there was not a continent they hadn’t visited. They had brought their sounds and charm to so many people, crossing languages, cultures, borders - the list is endless when you think of the ways they brought people together.
The Dagenham Girl Pipers are still a much loved and respected part of the community as they have been central to Dagenham’s history for so many years. They continue to perform, even on TV and in monumental public parades including London Mayor’s New Year’s Parade.
Today, young girls living in Dagenham are encouraged to join the band as they are always looking for new members - whether experienced or not! It’s a great way to represent Barking and Dagenham and be part of such an iconic community.
Sources:
https://www.dagenhamgirlpipers.com/
About the Author
Raessa Mukhtar volunteers for the museum, and is also part of our Steering Group.