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History of the House of Scotland
Soon after the Gaelic Society Pipe Band began, a local car dealer with the very Scottish last name of Campbell offered to fund the band if they would agree to call themselves the Campbell Chevrolet Pipe Band. John Haywood continued on as Pipe Major, and bandsmen like Herb Fuller, Pat and Larry Dolan, Bill McLeod, Bryan Thomson, (who, with his wife currently owns the Bit o' Britain Restaurant in San Diego) Charles McMillan, Kenny Haywood, Andy Marshall, James Marshall, James Naismith, Nathaniel "Nat" Maltman (a Glasgow born and raised shipbuilder, who was for many years a youth soccer coach and House of Scotland trustee at age 82), Johnny Bullock who after a long and respected piping career, still plays and marches with the House of Scotland Pipe Band), Bill Denying, Gus Lang, Alan Handier, and many others would carry the band through the 1950's and 1960's, with a very close affiliation with the House of Scotland, performing for many of its events.
Herb Fuller's daughters, Susan and Nancy, and a lad by the name of Bruce Robinson (now an officer of the San Diego-Edinburgh Sister City Society) marched in front of the Band and danced at its performances while they were growing up. The "Campbells" began to alternate with the "Camerons" in House of Scotland events, and both would become regulars in all the local parades, and other events around the Southland.
In 1958, piper Charles McMillan was elected President of the House of Scotland. He was one of twelve children born to an Edinburgh plumber. He and his twin brother were enlisted by their father into the Boy's Brigade, where he learned to play the pipes. His family moved to Canada and in 1970, McMillan recalled watching tears come to his father's eyes as the Scottish Coast faded away into the fog. He looked up and asked his father why he wept. His father looked down and said, "It's because we are leavin' poor Scotland without a fittin' plumber!" Young McMillan learned his father's trade and loved playing the clarinet in a local band with his friends. He later returned to Britain for fourteen years, playing professional soccer and ice hockey. He married Isabelle Tumelty and became a father. He never gave up piping, and his pipe band, the Canadian Argylls of Hamilton, Ontario, eventually won the Champion Cup of the British Isles. He moved his family to San Diego in 1955 because of the climate and joined John Haywood's band, soon becoming a Pipe Major.
The "House of Campbell" was beginning their reign in the House of Scotland. John Haywood and his wife, Jessie, became mainstays of the House of Scotland and John served as its president from 1959 through 1964. For many years, one of John Haywood's great joys was playing his pipes regularly at Fred and Micky Finn's popular Dixieland nightspot "Micky Finn's." It was located on the south side of University Avenue just east of the Highway 163 bridge, within easy walking distance from John and Jessie's home.
On November 4, 1961, the House of Scotland and the other international cottages were the setting for the Second Annual Mistletoe Mart, a fund-rasing event for the Bayside Social Center, and dubbed "Christmas Around the World." It was sponsored by a group called "The Social Service Auxiliary," and featured handmade gift items and international entertainment. Piper Johnny Bullock and dancers from the San Diego Highland Dancers performed at the cottage for the visitors.
A sad note struck the hearts of everyone connected with the House of Scotland in 1965 when Kenneth "Kenny" Haywood, John's son, born in Edinburgh before his parents emigrated here, was suddenly killed. A terrific young piper in the Campbell Band and full of promise, he was a lad who proudly carried on the family military tradition by showing up in full Campbell regalia, pipes under his arm, to be sworn into the Marine Corps. Months later, as he was about to deploy to Vietnam, he was killed in a fateful air crash. The House of Scotland mourned deeply, and a plaque stands at the front of the House of Scotland as a monument to Kenny's youthful vitality and Scottish pride.
The Campbells were a popular band at the annual Del Mar Fair, and were invited by Walt Disney to perform in the Main Street Parade at Disneyland. Disney was said to love the pipes, and it should not be forgotten that Disney created an immense popularity for things Scottish in the 1950's with his motion pictures Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue and Greyfriar's Bobby. Greyfriar's so touched the hearts of Americans that they were soon over in Edinburgh donating a fitting headstone for Bobby's master. In those days, Disney had an International Day event every year, and Beth Sutorious' Highland Dance Association dancers were regular performers at that event. Campbell Drummer Nat Maltman recalls that Walt Disney was an appreciative host who even insisted that the band members have a part of the theme park which was not open to the general public, all to themselves.
One of the Campbell's annual events was participation in the 4th of July Parade in Coronado. One particular year, they had worked up a powerful thirst during the long hot march down Orange Avenue, and were in the process of nursing their parched throats back to normal at a local watering hole at which they had a yearly standing invitation, when a popular and rather randy member--who shall remain nameless to those who have not hear the story first hand--kept noticing the admiring gaze of two young lasses. He could just feel that "proverbial question" coming. Finally, they mustered the courage to ask what he was wearing beneath his kilt. The bandsman, having apparently quaffed enough spirit to quell any inhibitions he might have possessed, and being an obliging sort, unabashedly whipped up his kilt, thereby graphically answering their question. Holding his kilt apron over his face, he politely asked if they had seen enough. The girls were appeased, and when the howls subsided, the bar keep told the boys that all further drinks would be on the house!
The Campbells were a colorful and fun-loving group, and continued to delight audiences into the Sixties. Then the car dealership changed hands, with the new owner deciding against continuing sponsorship of the band. The band faltered briefly under the sponsorship of a La Mesa Restaurant called "Stuart's," then finally piped its last refrain.