Armstrong, Jack

Born in Wideopen [N of Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside]; A coal miner, working at Dinnington colliery, he lived, after having married in 1926, in Skipton (North Yorkshire) where he taught himself to play the pipes; Having begun to make pipes in 1930, he was one of the three 20th century makers who turned out new sets in any numbers before the early 1970s (➺ William Cocks and Bill Hedworth); Appointed Piper to the Duke of Northumberland (1949-1971), his only official duty being to play at the Shrove Tuesday football match and at other functions at the discretion of the Duke; NB: ➺ Tom Matthews.