Alnwick Waits

James Allan, Alnwick Wait

from a list of official pipers to the Percys of Alnwick on a website on the history of the Northumbrian pipes at http://www.northumbrianpipes.com/DucalPipers.htm

1746-7   James Allan played for the Countess of Northumberland

1752   Walpole records that "the Countess has her pipers"

1760   James Allen accompanied the Countess to the Coronation of George III

1766   In the publication "The Life of Allan" it states that James Allan wore the Percy's crusade trophy on his right arm

1769   James Allan appointed town waite by the Chamberlain of Alnwick

1769   James Allan dismissed as town waite of Alnwick and from the castle for stealing

1803   James Allan convicted at Durham Assizes of horse stealing. He escaped hanging and deportation, and died in 1810. His pardon, signed by the Prince Regent, arrived two days after his death.

There's more on James Allan at http://www.farneweblog.com/stories/storyReader$193 including a picture and details of the biography mentioned above.

Another eighteenth century Alnwick Wait:

"John Young was dismissed in 1749 as an Alnwick Town Wait."

"Three Youngs are known to us, all living in Alnwick. One, John, was dismissed in 1749 as the last of the Town Waits. The other names are George, and James, his son. The family were pipemakers, James supplying Robert Reid's father (also Robert) with his first set of 'large' Northumbrian pipes. Little else is known of them."

back to tophistory section index