Ivan Bisley reckons he’s banged the side drum “a fair few times” in his 91 years.
The Motueka local was delighted to be given an award for 60 years of service to the Motueka Highland Pipe Band at a recent meeting.
“I was thrilled – I didn’t believe it,” he says.
Although he no longer plays with the band, he spent many years on the side drum, and has also been custodian of the uniforms.
“He did anything there was that needed doing for the band,” his wife Helen summarises.
This included growing two acres of tobacco on his Thorp Street property in the 1950s, donating the proceeds to the band. This money went towards the purchase of the group’s distinctive uniforms – resplendent with their busbies and spats – as well as the pipe band hall.
One of the highlights of his time with the band has been playing to the aged care facilities around Motueka and Nelson. Ivan, together with Francis Overend and Bruce Fraser, were the staples of the resthome players, with others from the band joining in along the way.
“It got to the stage when I was older than the ones we were playing to,” Ivan laughs.
Ivan is born and raised in Motueka and attended Parklands School. After leaving school, he went on to grow tobacco for John Manoy, and worked at Vickerman’s Store and at wine and spirits shop H & L Manoy’s.
He lost a finger while cutting up kindling when he was 15, but that hasn’t hampered his playing. In fact, it even has its perks, according to Ivan.
“Hell, I’ve saved some soap,” he quips.
Drumsticks in hand, Ivan demonstrated that the years of muscle memory were very much intact, with the rhythm crisp and concise on his coffee table, and his slippered foot keeping perfect time underneath.
He will celebrate his 92nd birthday next month, and he reckons that the only trouble with birthdays is they come about too quickly.
