Pipe Bands WA mourns the loss of our Vice Principal of Rules and Administration, Hilton Bradford. Hilton was a stalwart of the WA pipe bands community, playing in numerous bands around the State, and taking on many roles.
Hilton become involved in piping and drumming at school, where he attended Scotch College. He joined the Pipe Band in 1959 initially as a Bass Drummer because he liked the leopard skin that was worn. He also started learning the pipes, and thanks to having previously learnt piano and being able to read music, learnt quickly and proficiently. In his final school year, he was Drum Major of the band.
Straight after school, Hilton went back home to the country and joined the Narrogin Pipe Band as a piper. Hilton’s wife, Kerry, knew many members of the Fremantle Ladies Pipe Band, and she secretly learnt some tunes to surprise Hilton by playing in uniform at the Mini Band competition in Narrogin in 1965.
Hilton then joined the Cameron Highlanders Army pipe band from 1966-1978. He always spoke highly of his lifelong friends he made while playing with them. The regular music training camps and travelling to parades and competitions bonded the band. Many of the guys in the army band formed relationships with girls from Fremantle Ladies Pipe Band. They have continued to be lifelong friends.
When the Bradford family moved back to the farm in Narrogin in 1978, Hilton played with the Narrogin Pipe Band and continued playing for another 10 -12 years with them.
By the late 1990’s, the family moved back in Perth and Hilton joined the Fremantle Sailing Club Pipes & Drums in 1998. In 2009, he was elected Pipe Major of FSC Pipes & Drums. He also regularly attended the Highland Pipers Society monthly meetings particularly when monthly meetings were in Inglewood on Saturday evenings.
Hilton was actively involved in Pipe Bands WA. In 2017, he passed his PBA Rules & Administration Advanced Certificate and soon became Vice Principal for Rules & Admin here in WA.
His interest in the pipe band scene continued to his last day, when he discussed the weekend’s various Fremantle Sailing Club turnouts and upcoming WA competitions with his son, Stuart Bradford, Chair of Pipe Bands WA and Pipe Major of FSC.
