IMMIE was born in 1947 on the Queen’s Balmoral Estate in the same house as his father, the Gold Medallist James McGregor Snr. His
christening in Crathie Kirk was attended by no less than King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and Princesses Margaret and Elizabeth (the current queen) who were attending Sunday worship – an introduction to the world that those who knew Jimmie would say he fairly deserved. From Balmoral the family moved to Tulchan Estate, where Jim senior was a ghillie, and all the while Jim junior was tutored in the pipes by his father. He was schooled at Webster’s Seminary in Kirriemuir and started his working life with British Telecom, as it now is, in 1967.He was to spend 40 years with the company. There are many adjectives that can be used to describe Jimmie – all good. He was a true gentleman, charming and kind, lovable and generous to a fault. Jimmy idolised his father, a piper of world class fame, and adored his mother who looked after him so well until her death last year. It was then that Jimmie had to be initiated into the mysteries of domestic chores and he enlisted help from his female relatives, including myself, to instruct him in the complicated workings of, for example, the gas cooker and automatic washing machine – however the iron was a step too far. Jimmie’s interests were many and varied. He was a golfer and a curler and ardent follower of Hearts football club.He used to say that being so was a good lesson for life as it inured you
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to disappointment. However his lifelong passion was piping and it was inevitable that his whole life would be immersed in the piping world. He was a member of the Eagle Pipers back in the 70s and when they reformed recently he was honoured with a life membership. He was a proud Atholl Highlander for some 20 years, playing in the pipe band. He was, for 20 years, piper to Clan Gregor. He had close associations with the Highland games at Blairgowrie, Perth, Lonach, Braemar and Blair Atholl. He was honoured with life membership of the Braemar Royal Highland Society. He made an invaluable contribution to the Competing Pipers’ Association over a 30 year period serving as a committee member and also asVice-President. In 2005 a silver medal was presented to him for ongoing and outstanding contribution to the CPA. He single- handedly produced, for 20 years, the much valued Guide to the Games. Another of his great achievements