Harry Milligan was born on 4th. August, 1924, and raised in the small village of Dreghorn, a few miles to the northwest of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland.

At the age of eleven, Harry got his first practice chanter for the bagpipes - an article he practiced and played on constantly. He even slept with the chanter under his pillow at night, and it was the first thing he reached for in the morning! From this time dates Harry's great love for, and dedication to Piping.

His first membership of a Pipe Band was with the local Boys' Brigade band, of which Harry soon became Pipe Major. Later, he joined the competitive, Grade 2, Crosshouse Pipe Band, as its Pipe Sergeant. This Band was under the leadership of the renowned piper, Pipe Major Jock Speirs; and Crosshouse Pipe Band played at every major piping competition in Scotland.

Harry's first job was as a coal miner in a pit in Dreghorn, a job which he enjoyed because of the camaraderie amongst the men. He used to tell the story of how, when he was only 15, and going off to work in the mine for the first time, his mother handed him a pack of five "Woodbine" cigarettes, saying to him that as he was now a man, he could smoke!

After emigrating to Canada, Harry joined Todmorden Legion Pipe Band in Toronto, and played in this band until it finally broke up. He worked briefly for Massey Ferguson in Toronto, before moving to the Toronto Transit Commission, where he was employed for thirty years.

For the next several years, after leaving Todmorden Legion Pipe Band, Harry was not formally involved in any pipe bands, although he was constantly called upon to pipe at weddings, funerals and other family gatherings. However, a piper of Harry's calibre could not long remain "outside the fold," and he was asked to form a new Pipe Band - The Toronto Transit Commission Pipe Band. He co-founded this Pipe Band, and took the posts of Pipe Sergeant and Piping Tutor. In its day, the Toronto Transit Commission Pipe Band was well-known, and played at Grade 2 level in competitions. Unfortunately, this band is no longer with us.

Subsequently, Harry joined Richmond Hill Pipe Band, where he was living, and became Pipe Sergeant and Piping Tutor of this band. Some years later, on his moving to Markham, Harry joined the local Clan Sutherland Pipe Band, assuming once again the dual posts of Pipe Sergeant and Piping Tutor.

For several years thereafter, he tutored the Rameses Shrine Pipe Band in Toronto, until well after a heart attack which occurred in September, 1988. Concurrent with his membership of Clan Sutherland Pipe Band and his tutoring of Rameses Shrine Pipe Band, Harry was also a member of the Ontario Massed Legion Pipes and Drums, and traveled widely with this band. He played in the 100th. anniversary Rose Bowl Parade on New Year's day in Pasadena, California, in 1989 - just a few short months after his heart attack! This is a grueling parade of over six miles marching, with a further two miles of staging area to march over to reach the start of the parade! During this trip, he also played in parades with the band in Mexico and Hawaii. A highlight of his piping career was when he piped with the Ontario Massed Legion Pipes and Drums at both the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and at the Braemar Gathering in Scotland, in front of the Queen and other members of the royal family, in 1990. This was another physically taxing band trip with many parades spread over a large part of Scotland.

At the dissolution of Clan Sutherland Pipe Band; and with the appointment of a new Pipe Major at Rameses Pipe Band, Harry resigned as Piping Tutor to Rameses Pipe Band, ending his playing days as a Pipe Band member. He then assumed the position of Piping Tutor and Sage to the fledgling Clan Fergusson Pipe Band, which comprised elements of the old Clan Sutherland Pipe Band, plus some new learners. Harry's heart trouble was by this time causing concern, and he was given a heart pacemaker. He was unfortunately not able to continue piping. His time as Piping Tutor to Clan Ferguson Pipe Band was to be Harry's last involvement with Piping.

Harry Milligan died on 1st. June, 1993; and the piping world lost a great advocate and teacher of piping. He left a legacy of pipers taught by him, in both Canada and Scotland, who are now playing at all levels in piping, from Grade 1 Piping Instructors to Street Band pipers. Harry believed in freely giving back to piping those skills which he received as a boy , and was as willing and competent to teach a learner piper as he was to tutor a Grade 1 piper.

Although Harry did not rise to the position of Pipe Major in any, except his first, Boy's Brigade Pipe Band, this was certainly not because of any lack of talent, knowledge of Piping or ability on his part, but rather because he was a quiet, sensitive person, always the gentle, gentleman, who was big enough to stand aside for lesser men.