The band was formed in 1929 as the Auckland and District Highland Pipe Band and adopted the Hunting Menzies tartan in honour of its first Pipe-Major, George Cowper. George was formerly of the Dundee City Police Pipe Band, now Tayside Police, who also wore this tartan. We are still one of only two bands, that we know of, in the world to do so.

 Twenty years later, in 1949 the band made it’s first major impression on the national pipe band competition stage by winning the New Zealand ‘B’ Grade Championship title. The following year the band added the ‘A’ Grade title in their first attempt. No other band before or since has won these titles in successive years.

 Since that time the band has remained at the very top level of pipe banding in New Zealand.

In 1966 we became New Zealand’s first commercially sponsored pipe band and changed it’s name to the now legendary Pipes and Drums of Innes Tartan. This arrangement lasted a staggering 15 years until 1981 when the Innes Tartan company was purchased by the Schweppes Corporation.

 Subsequent sponsorship changes and new band objectives meant several name changes over the next 15 years

 MacLeay Duff Distillery in 1982

American Airlines in 1990

Toshiba in 1994, and

Dalewool Auckland & District in 1995

The band decided during the last name change that, if agreeable with the current sponsor, the original name of the band should be incorporated. This would ensure that our identity and proud history would remain intact.

For any enquiries mailto:andpipeband@paradise.net.nz