Bessie Watson 1900 - 1992

Her parents encouraged her to take up the pipes at 7 to strengthen her chest as a precaution against tuberculosis.

At 9 she was invited to play on the Edinburgh March – travelled on the float along with the Countess of Buchan.

A few weeks later she played at a meeting attended by Christabel Pankhurst and was presented with a brooch depicting Queen Boadicea in her chariot. She presented this brooch to Margaret Thatcher in 1979.

She played with others in the great pageant in London in 1911

She played on many other suffragette occasions

Picture: (c) Edinburgh Museums.