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You're welcome. I have added a picture, together with some explantory notes, at: http://www.organrecitals.com/apse.php ATB, SDS

The Apse (East) organ at Westminster Cathedral is certainly by Lewis & Co. Ltd, (not T.C. Lewis). The firm adopted this name in 1884, when it became a limited company. I recall that the late Harry Coles was always quick to point out that Southwark Cathedral's Lewis organ, built in 1897, was by Lewis & Co. God help anyone if they said it was by T.C. Lewis and Harry was within ear shot! Perhaps a difference between the Westminster and Southwark instruments is the involvement of T.C. Lewis himself? At Southwark, there is no doubt that he was invloved. However, I would question if he had any involvement at Westminster in 1910 - following his enforced retirement from the Lewis firm in 1901. Although Westminster's Apse organ bears the Lewis & Co. name, it has never struck me as being particualrly "Lewis", either in terms of its stop list or its voicing - but that's just my opinion. The fact that it works as well as it does is arguably due to its elevated position (the Apse is raised) and the building's fabulous acoustics. I was interested to read the quote from Paul Hale's article in The Organ. In particular, his comments about the collaboration between Westminster's architect J.F. Bentley and T.C. Lewis for the Apse organ's divided case. I doubt this was the case (no pun intended). Bentley died in 1902 and the organ wasn't installed until 1910. The two men certainly were great friends and may have discussed the matter but who knows for sure? Furthermore, although the received wisdom is that the Apse organ was divided from the outset, the fact is that it wasn't. Actually, the whole instrument - console, chests, pipes, etc. - occupied a central position at the back of the Apse. It is possible that the action was pneumatic or even tracker. To divide a tiny organ of barely a dozen stops would not make sense, surely? The pipes were on display, as there was no casework. It was an ugly instrument to behold. A screen was erected behind the high altar, perhaps in an attempt to hide it from view of the Faithful? The divided Apse organ only came into being in 1926 when Willis III built the vast Apse console, which controlled both the Grand and Apse organs. It was sited on the spot where the Apse organ used to stand, i.e. centre/rear of the Apse. The Choir stalls and the organ cases were, in a manner of speaking, built around the new mega-console. Prior to this, the Choir stalls were a somewhat temporary affair, which may have even been movable. I have pieced together the above details by looking at many old postcards of Westminster Cathedral and by working out their dates from known facts (e.g. when the Cross or the Stations or the Baldacchino were installed). I think this is the first time I have made public this information. Kind regards, Stephen D. Smith Webmaster, organrecitals.com (www.organrecitals.com) President, Atlantic City Convention Hall Organ Society (www.acchos.org) Honorary Curator of the World's Largest Organ (www.boardwalkhall.com/organs.asp)