philipmgwright

Aberdeen East St Nicholas 1936 Compton with luminous stopheads - console removed to Organbuilders workshop for safe keeping I believe during archaeological investigations which removed church floor Organ remains in West Gallery and as totally enclosed presumably safe for immediate future philipmgwright

Thanks for your further confirmation. I have now succeeded in contacting Robert and confirmed my order. Hopefull many others will do likewise. philipmgwright

Sorry undeliverable again just now! lookingforward to new contact details thanks philipmgwright

As one of the original supporters of Brindley,I emailed address and phoned the last number just now.. but to no avail...may I suggest new contact details be issued which can respond ..this will encourage many to subscribe. a worthwhile venture plagued by a horrendous birth! philipmgwright

Was it not shipped to Japan but is still awaiting renaissance? philipmgwright

When Bill Minay had St Cuthbert's Edinburgh rebuilt by Walkers in the 50's , he set French Horn on Swell 1 - he never tired of using it he said

Any reason why the NPOR stoplist does not exactly tally with the Aubertin labelling?

Hautbois d'Amour Paisley Abbey Swell HN&B 1928 from original CC but under different name Renamed by JWW in Ralph Downes 1968 philipmgwright

I am disappointed my plea for some first hand memories of HW III has up to now , not been fulfilled. I had been hoping perhaps the last pupil-apprentice of HW ,or an organ builder involved with the 1959 Liverpool Cathedral works or colleagues of Noel Rawshorne might be prevailed upon to add a human dimension to this " great character" David Drinkell highlighted something I had not noticed...the big proportion of HW's work was rebuilding rather than new. Plumley in his book on St Pauls also detected a weariness in HW at having to repeat his work several times during the Dome works etc1925/1930/1960 Like David , I too visited the Willis works in Marlborough Grove in 1963 and was welcomed by Peter Hamblen who found the time to show a university student around the factory with its pipe making,voicing shops and most memorably the console shop with the Truro 4 manual console amongst several being completed. I left with several brochures and typed specification sheets and an invitation to visit Ian Frost in the Edinburgh branch when I got back to Scotland. But I did not meet HW The sources mentioned by David Drinkell - Rotunda,The Organ,and Callaghan's book are excellent and worth reading...perhaps I am just a little too late in asking for first hand recollections of HW III

Colin Pyett mentions in his latest post that he never met HW III...might it not be timely to hear from those who have had personal contact with him rather than the often rolled out anecdotes which may have expanded over the many tellings?

Radley School Chapel also had a 5 manual,I believe. I recall an illustration in The Organ showing a flamboyant organist playing this console. NPOR states it only comprised 55 stops though.

St Georges Stockport and Cluny Parish Edinburgh

The Fort Augustus 4 manual console known to organists in Scotland mentioned by David Drinkell was from 1938 and the work of EH Lawton the Aberdeen organ builder. A photograph exists showing stopkeys in simple rows on either side. On its reduction to a 3 manual in 1980 by R&D the 32' reed went to Stockport and the Tuba went to Edinburgh.

The retention of the Echo Organ in the triforium even unconnected was a device to avoid VAT as the Phelps was seen as an additional organ to the Abbey. This was a legimate interpretation of the rules over organs attracting VAT at this time. I feel certain there will be other examples

Many thanks for the link to these fascinating photographs. Compton built several organs for the BBC I believe ..one at Maida Vale ..one at St Georges Hall in Langham Place or is this the same as the photographs. I recall comments that the instrument there is housed in a tall chimney style ventilation shaft that only such an ingenious organ builder as JC could be be successful. May one speculate what condition it is in presently?