Musical Sites
Luton and Bedford Drumming Club
“Promoting Ulster Scots Awareness and Culture”
Formed in 2005, Luton and Bedford Drumming club
has been working throughout the year promoting Ulster Scots traditions on the UK
Mainland. The club play lambeg and rattly drums (Ulster rope drums), traditional
fifes and draw their membership from various regions of Southern England. The
club’s inaugural parade was in September 2005, supporting the Grand Orange Lodge
of England annual outing to Southport. The following week the club paraded with
Luton and Bedford branch of The Browning Club at the Lord Carson Memorial parade
in central London. The route took in the Embankment past the London Eye, the
Palace of Westminster and Downing Street, and the drums were greatly admired by
tourists, onlookers and supporters.
The club was honoured to accept an invitation to drum at Oxford Martyrs Memorial
LOL213 Anniversary Celebrations in October (in Oxfordshire), at which guest
speaker The Lord Laird of Artigarvan expressed kind support and encouragement.
A notable highlight for the club occurred in November 2005, accepting a kind
invitation by Lord Laird to attend a function at The House of Lords. Lambeg
drums (probably for the first time) were played inside the Palace of Westminster
and within the precincts of The Lords. Honoured guests included Lord Rogan,
Colonel Tim Collins, Andrew MacKinlay MP and members of The Loyal Orange
Institution, including the Grandmaster of Scotland and Provincial Grandmaster of
Metropolitan Province, England. Lord Laird hosted the evening, which was
subsequently publicised on a Radio 2 interview. The club launched their website
in August 2005 and would be delighted to hear from prospective members. The club
provides drumming and fifing tuition, and will be attending a number of events
and parades in England and Northern Ireland throughout 2006. The club is
committed to promotion of Unionist and Ulster Scots culture and would be
delighted to hear from anyone interested in working or collaborating on related
initiatives. For further information please contact us by email (info@luton-lambeg.org).