Russell, Hector

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Jack Dunbar, Thomas Liddell, and John Maitland,  partnered with Hector Russell in 1946 for a short while. As all three were employed by P. Henderson Ltd. prior to the war, they made a Henderson bagpipe under the Hector Russell name. Unfortunately there were money problems. Jack told me the story of getting his tools out just before the Receivers showed up to bolt the doors.  I think they were literally going out the back door with his tools when the receivers arrived at the front door. The partnership was dissolved before the end of 1946.

Those Hector Russell bagpipes made in 1946 were “Henderson” inside and out. As you might imagine, they are few. Those that followed were not made in the Henderson tradition. The stamp “Hector Russell, Greenock” came into being after 1946.

Funny thing happened at the Phoenix Highland Games. There was a silent auction at a booth. John Recknagel tipped me off that there was a set of pipes. I checked it out and found them to be a set of Hector Russell bagpipes, complete with chanter. Very nice looking (below) so I put $100 on the table and walked away with them. I later discovered that every piece was out-of-round! The wood hadn’t been properly seasoned or prepared prior to finishing the set.