Hi Janice Sorry for the delayed response. I was out of town at the Ontario Genealogical Society's Annual Conference. Your question about the Canadian Kilties caught my eye and I went quickly to unpack my stock of ephemera. I found an item that may be of interest to you. It's a program titled "Official Concert Tour of Canada's Crack Military Band" - "Gordon Highlanders The Kilties of Canada". . Undated but probably early 1900s. It talks about tours in 1900, 1901 and 1902, so may be a little earlier than your connection. It does include photographs of some of the band members, but not your guy :-(. However, if you think it might be of interest, I would be happy to photocopy it and send it to you. Feel free to contact me off list. Patty Ottawa, Canada > Message: 1 > Date: Thu, 13 May 2010 20:38:19 +1200 > From: Janice Searle <[email protected]> > Subject: [ONTARIO] Canadian Kilties Band world tour 1908-1910 > To: [email protected] > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > > Good evening, > > I am not familiar with Canadian research so I apologise if I am asking in the > wrong mailing list. If so, please aim me in the right direction. > > I am researching my maternal grandfather, Walter Seymour MCDONALD who was born > in Nelson, New Zealand in 1886. He apparently joined the Canadian Kilties Band > when they toured NZ (in early 1909?) and travelled with them to Tasmania, > Australia, Ceylon, India, Burmah, Egypt, Italy, France, Portugal and the UK > eventually ending in New York. (This was reported in a newpaper cutting when he > returned to live in NZ in 1920). > I have found newpaper reports of the time advertising the arrival of the Kilties > in Jan 1909. Having googled, I have found that the band was known as the > Belleville Kilties Band, under Drum Major Roderick Bain MacKenzie. I would be > interested in any information about the band in the period 1909 - 1920. > Confirming some if the places they toured would be great. > Were they connected in any way to any military regiment? If so did they fight > in WW1? An uncle had some recollection of mention that my grandfather was in > the Black Watch? Not sure if he meant regiment or tartan? > Are there any photos in existence today of the band members which may include > Walter Seymour (Hector) MCDONALD? > > > Kind regards > Janice Searle > Darfield, NZ > > > > >