Ref 685/5 310 1935 gives William (Piper ) Dumbreck born 1866 died aged 68
on 27/02/1935 in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary of appendicitis, peritonitis and
toxemia. His full name was William Millar Nicholson Duncan Dumbreck and he
was a bricklayer living at 370 High Street Linlithgow. He was the widower of
Isabella Dickson and also Annie McPherson. His father was James Caldwell
Dumbreck a shoemaker and his mother was Lilias Duncan. The death was
registered by his son Caldwell Dumbreck of 71 New Street Salisbury Wilts.

Source: Aileen Crosbie taken from Register House Edinburgh 8 Nov 2000

William wrote music for bagpipes. Some of his compositions were,
Carriber Glen, Pipers Farewell to Gibraltar, West Lothian Volunteers,
Major H.F. Elliot's Welcome to Wolflee, Captain Macdonalds Strathspey,
42nd Welcome to Mauritius, Lt. J.B. Pollock's Welcome to Craig, Lt.
A.D. Murray's Farewell to the Black Watch and Millbank Cottage.

Obituary

PIPER'S OWN MARCH PLAYED AT FUNERAL

Pipe-Major William Dumbreck, 370 High Street Linlithgow, formerly pipe-major of the 1st Black Watch, to which, when he was appointed, was the youngest pipe-major in the British Army, and who died on Wednesday at the age of 68, received a military funeral yesterday to Linlithgow Cemetery.
A party of eighteen members of A Company, Linlithgow 4-5th Battalion Royal Scots (T.), formed a Guard of Honour and firing party.
Ten pipers drawn from Torphichen, Philpstoun and Linlithgow, and three drummers played "The Flowers of the Forest" from the deceased's home to the cemetery.
At the graveside the Rev. Dr. R. Coupar, St. Michael's Church, Linlithgow, officiated.
A piper from headquarters, 4-5th Royal Scots, Edinburgh, played "Lochaber No More" whilst the last volley was being fired.
Then Pipe-Major Alexander Forrest, Torphichen, played "Millbank Cottage" the pipe composition by the deceased, one of his most famous compositions.
Bugler John Walker, headquarters, 4-5th Royal Scots, sounded the "Last Post" and "Reveille."

Source: The Black Watch Regiment HQ
Belhousie Castle, Perth, Scot.
Thomas B. Smyth, Archivist

William Dumbreck Joined The Black Watch c 1885. Served with the 1st Battalion as a piper on Malta and Gibraltar. Known to have composed a number of pipe tunes including "Millbank Cottage", in 1887, a march named for his sister's home at Station Road, Uphall, Midlothian and Lieut A D Murray's Farewell to The Black Watch. Transferred during the 1890s to the Royal Scots, where apparently he was appointed Sergeant Piper. Because of his style of composition in pipe music, some suggest that he was "the first of the modern composers, a generation before his time."
Pipers' Roll, The Black Watch, 1854-1902 Ed Richard Crawford p 17.

The 1st Battalion (ie the 42nd) were in Mauritius March 1893 - early 1896. Murray resigned from The Black Watch on 12 June 1894. These give some indication of when he might have transferred. He was not a Pipe Major in The Black Watch.