We are a group of local musicians who have a passionate interest in music and history. Our interests have led us to perform early music on copies of original instruments and to wear clothes appropriate to the time of the music. Ours is not the music of the courts and the aristocracy but the music of the common people. The waites were the original town band and played for civic events , feasts, weddings and in the streets. Doncaster had a band of waites from 1457 to 1832 and it is the spirit of these musicians that we try to re-create.
The Doncaster Waites are:-
- Andrea Offord – bagpipes, recorders, pipe & tabor, rauschpfeife, crumhorn
- Norma Sharp – shawm, recorders, tabor pipe, curtal, crumhorn
- Roger Offord – shawms, hurdy-gurdy, curtal, recorders, crumhorn
- Siggy Parratt-Halbert – bagpipes, shawm, recorders, crumhorn
- John McCallum – percussion
The group has been playing together now for many years, but membership has varied over this period. We are always looking for new performers. So if you think that you might be interested in joining us and have some musical ability then do get in touch. We can provide the instruments if you have always wanted to try a shawm, crumhorn or sackbut!
The Doncaster Waites are members of The International Guild of Town Pipers.
