Sacred Heart Blackpool

[Peter Clark]

This church, a very impressive building, is a sea shell's throw from the north pier and stands in the shadow of Blackpool Tower. I recently played the organ and although it still needs an enormous amount of work I would imagine it could be an impressive instrument. Apparently it suffered water damage becuae of a leaky roof about two years ago and had some remedial work done, but just enough, it seems, to enable it to accompany hymns and very simple Mass settings.

 

Here is the spec:

 

http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N10639

 

There was an article in the Tablet magazine a couple of weeks ago about the parish of The Sacred Heart, and it said that the organ was originally a theatre organ which an enterprising priest bought for peanuts when the theatre closed.It has obviously undergone some serious revoicing! Has anybody played it before the waterv damage occured, and if so what impression did you have?

 

By the way, the opening recital was given by a certain Reginald Dixon. No, not the RD of Tower fame but the organist of Lancaster RC Cahedral. Apparently there were a lot of disappointed punters in the church that night who turned up expecting to haer Tiger Rag and so on!

 

Peter

[Tony Newnham]

This church, a very impressive building, is a sea shell's throw from the north pier and stands in the shadow of Blackpool Tower. I recently played the organ and although it still needs an enormous amount of work I would imagine it could be an impressive instrument. Apparently it suffered water damage becuae of a leaky roof about two years ago and had some remedial work done, but just enough, it seems, to enable it to accompany hymns and very simple Mass settings.

 

Here is the spec:

 

http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch...ec_index=N10639

 

There was an article in the Tablet magazine a couple of weeks ago about the parish of The Sacred Heart, and it said that the organ was originally a theatre organ which an enterprising priest bought for peanuts when the theatre closed.It has obviously undergone some serious revoicing! Has anybody played it before the waterv damage occured, and if so what impression did you have?

 

By the way, the opening recital was given by a certain Reginald Dixon. No, not the RD of Tower fame but the organist of Lancaster RC Cahedral. Apparently there were a lot of disappointed punters in the church that night who turned up expecting to haer Tiger Rag and so on!

 

Peter

 

Hi

 

The article in "the Organ" July 1951 says the organ incorporates "parts of the original Jardine and also parts of a Jardine that stood, formerly, in a local cinema." - and gives the wind pressure as "only 3 inches".

 

Every Blessing

 

Tony

[tribunegallery]

Hi

 

The article in "the Organ" July 1951 says the organ incorporates "parts of the original Jardine and also parts of a Jardine that stood, formerly, in a local cinema." - and gives the wind pressure as "only 3 inches".

 

Every Blessing

 

Tony

 

Having spent several years on the Fylde Coast in the 80's and early 90's, I can confirm that the instrument was partly a theatre organ. The instrument isn't the best, indeed, the acoustics of the church help enormously.

 

The instrument on the Fylde, well worth looking at is the three manual Wm Hill (unaltered) in St Thomas' St Annes on Sea where I spent four very happy years as organist in the late 80's.

 

NS

[Frank Fowler]

Having spent several years on the Fylde Coast in the 80's and early 90's, I can confirm that the instrument was partly a theatre organ. The instrument isn't the best, indeed, the acoustics of the church help enormously.

 

The instrument on the Fylde, well worth looking at is the three manual Wm Hill (unaltered) in St Thomas' St Annes on Sea where I spent four very happy years as organist in the late 80's.

 

NS

 

Just to be pedantic. The organ I believe was not a 'Theatre Organ' which conjures up a Wurlitzer, Compton or Christie picture but an `Organ in a Cinema' raising thoughts of a church organ style instrument, of which in the early days there were several such installations.

 

FF

[Tony Newnham]

Just to be pedantic. The organ I believe was not a 'Theatre Organ' which conjures up a Wurlitzer, Compton or Christie picture but an `Organ in a Cinema' raising thoughts of a church organ style instrument, of which in the early days there were several such installations.

 

FF

 

Hi

 

I think you'll find that Jardine did build a few unit cinema organs, as did Spurden Rutt and a couple of other firms, so the organ could well have been partly "cinema organ".

 

Every Blessing

 

Tony

[Frank Fowler]

Hi

 

I think you'll find that Jardine did build a few unit cinema organs, as did Spurden Rutt and a couple of other firms, so the organ could well have been partly "cinema organ".

 

Every Blessing

 

Tony

 

Thanks Tony,

 

I know of some of the others who built a few unit organs but do not have any Jardines on my lists, have you any locations or details please.

 

Regards,

 

FF

[Tony Newnham]

Thanks Tony,

 

I know of some of the others who built a few unit organs but do not have any Jardines on my lists, have you any locations or details please.

 

Regards,

 

FF

 

Hi

 

A copy of the 1972 "Theatre Organ World" list has 2 Jardines (or to be accurate, Jardine-Smith) - a 2/8 "Symphonique" in the Regal, Grays & a 2/5 "Symphonique" in the Empress, Manchester.

 

Jardine and Company are credited with 33 (13 are unit organs, the rest straight) - I don't have time to list them all this morning (Sunday mornings are busy!) - drop me a PM or e-mail as a reminder and I'll try and do something next week.

 

 

One of my "background" NPOR projects is to try and get our listings of cinema organs done - there are a few on already, plus most "original locations" for Christies (from the HNB records).

 

Other "small" cinema organ firms were:-

Vincent (1 organ according to TOW list)

Hilsdon (3)

Spurden Rutt (3)

Ingram (4)

Conacher (10)

 

Every Blessing

 

Tony

[Frank Fowler]

Thanks Tony,

 

Frank