Scottish Community in Ipswich

Like the other Celt groups in Ipswich, Scottish people remained attached to their homeland. A Caledonian Society was formed in Ipswich and began holding annual gatherings in the 1870s with sports such as tossing the caber. The Ipswich Thistle Pipe Band is still a familiar sight in parades in the city.

Roderick McLeod was Mayor of Ipswich in 1898 and was an alderman from 1891 to 1901. He was born at Everton, Rothesay, Scotland in 1847. Roderick came to Queensland with his father in 1857 where they engaged in various careers of station life.

Scottish associations in Ipswich included the Ipswich Caledonian Society and Burns Club; Ipswich Hibernian Society; Ipswich Scottish Association; Queensland Scottish Rifles E Company – Ipswich Corps, under command of Capt. Roderick McLeod, and Capt. N. McLeod of Woolloongabba; Scottish Regiment, St Andrew’s Society (Booval), Caledonian Pipe Band, Ipswich Scottish Pipe Band and the Thistle Pipe Band.