Students in Gordon's School Pipes and Drums had a once in a lifetime opportunity as they performed at Windsor Castle for His Majesty The King, the school Patron this week. The school is the National Memorial to General Charles Gordon and in this, its 140^th anniversary year, the Pipes and Drums are commemorating the event by performing in places associated with General Charles Gordon. Windsor Castle holds General Gordon’s Bible, which was given to Queen Victoria by his sister Augusta in March 1885. The Bible, now on display in the castle, was given to General Gordon on the day of his birth by a relative of his mother and on the flyleaf are the names and dates of each of his postings. Students were able to see the Bible in the King’s Drawing Room in the State Apartments.

For the special performance, Drum Major Lucy Carter led the Pipes and Drums through the George IV Gateway and into the Quadrangle of the Castle, watched by hundreds of tourists. There the students played a number of traditional Scottish melodies, including tunes that are said to be among His Majesty’s favourites!  The drummers performed Drummers’ Beating.

After the performance, The King spoke to all 52 members of the Pipes and Drums and joined them for a photograph. His Majesty also greeted many of the parents and staff.  

Two of the students, Harry Gordon and Logan Green, together with the Senior Pipe Major Iona Scotson, composed music for the bagpipes to mark the occasion, called Gordon’s Crown, a copy of which was presented to His Majesty.

Afterwards, The King’s Piper, Pipe Major Paul Burns told the student band: “The King thoroughly enjoyed it. The sound of it inside the quadrangle was absolutely fantastic, so well done everybody, keep up the hard work!”

Headmaster Andrew Moss spoke of his pride at seeing their performance, adding: “This is probably the most unique thing you have done, so keep it, treasure it and look after it. The King said ‘I do hope the Pipes and Drums keeps going forever’.

The school was originally opened as a home for ‘necessitous boys’ in 1885 at Queen Victoria’s insistence that a fitting National Memorial be created in honour of General Gordon. It became a school in 1943 and is now one of the most successful state boarding schools in England, rated ‘Outstanding’ by OFSTED both for boarding and academic. Queen Victoria became the first in an unbroken line of Sovereign Patrons of the school, with HM King Charles III accepting the Patronage last year.

Since its inception it has boasted a Pipes and Drums Band. Today around 50 students play for the band on either the bagpipes, snare, tenor or bass drums.

As well as taking part in the school’s annual Whitehall Parade in London, the Pipes and Drums compete in the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships and have played for the Last Post Association at Menin Gate in Ypres, the Lord Mayor’s Parade and the Tartan Parade in New York. In 2022 the school was partnered with the National Piping Centre, a national and international centre of excellence for bagpipes.

As part of the Pipes and Drums celebration for the school’s 140^th anniversary, they are performing in places associated with General Gordon. Included is St Paul’s Cathedral; Westminster Abbey, Chatham, Gravesend and Rochester Cathedral.