Saturday June 28th 2002; while visiting the remote Leicestershire beauty spot Burrough Hill, near Melton Mowbray, we left our car with others in the public car park. Our car was one of the ones broken open at about 6 p.m. Reported to police immediately. The main possession stolen was my pipe box containing my bagpipes and accessories.
The box contains two sets of English bellows-blown bagpipes, one pair of bellows, two "penny whistles" (folk flutes), an electronic tuner, a Goodacre Brothers CD, copies of my own tune books and a small tin box of tools and piping spares &c.
THE BOX:- Solid pine, stained dark brown on outside. About 3 feet long by ten inches wide and four inches deep. Dovetail joints at corners.
Lid held on by two brass hinges and secured by a pair of brass hooks and eyes and a brass box-lock (not locked). Heavy brass carrying handle.
BORDER BAGPIPES (key of A):- Light yew wood, with brass ferrules and boxwood mounts. The leather bag, covered in green baize, has three wooden stocks:-
1. Transfer pipe of red rubber with green baize cover, with wooden end for plugging into bellows.
2. Single pipe (chanter) with finger holes (some with wax inserts).
Boxwood mount at lower end. Serial number stamped into wood near top.
3. Tripe pipes (drones) two tenors of two pieces, one bass of three pieces, each with brass ferrules and boxwood mounts at end. All three plugged into large cylindrical stock, which has a brass ferrule and is stamped with maker's name JULIAN GOODACRE, PEEBLES.
LEICESTERSHIRE SMALLPIPES (key of D):- Dark yew wood. No ferrules or mounts. The leather bag, covered in red velvet, has three wooden stocks:-
1. Transfer pipe of red rubber with red velvet cover, with wooden end for plugging into bellows.
2. Single pipe (chanter) with finger holes (some with minute black wax inserts), with wide bell-shaped end.
3. Single pipe (drone) of two pieces, with wide bell-shaped end.
Attached to drone end are various coloured ribbons, one for each of the weddings I have played at.
BELLOWS:- Leather bellows sewn two two walnut wood plates, which are attached by a brass hinge. Inlet valve of turned boxwood. Outlet block to receive transfer pipes. Attached to heavy leather belt (with heavy brass buckle) by brass screws. Leather bootlace for tying round upper arm secures to small turned wood mushroom near hinge.
WHISTLES:-
1. Tin whistle in black and gold finish, marked CLARKE C.
2. Boxwood whistle (key of D, about 9 inches long) with brass tuning slide, by JON SWAYNE. In black cloth cover.
ELECTRONIC TUNER:- Musical tuner (also for electric guitars) with led indicators and electric meter with needle. Maker BOSS.
ALSO:-
Unsold CD in case, 'Bag up yer Troubles' by The Goodacre Brothers; tune books 'Johnny D's Home' and 'The White House Hornpipe' by John Goodacre; antique tin medicine box (Sedlitz Powders) containing reeds, three turned wood drone plugs, watch-maker's pliers, wax, thread, bassoon reed maker's plaque &c.; A4 sheet list of names and addresse of Bare Bones women's Morris side of Loughborough.
I am lost without these instruments, my main means of musical expression. The Border Pipes are a beautiful set which is, at a price, replaceable; but the Leicestershire Smallpipes, although not much to look at, are a unique and treasured set with a long history and a unique voice.
The instruments belong to John Goodacre. Anyone with any help please
contact:
David Ledsam at david@soarmusic.demon.co.uk