Bruce Buchanan Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Currently, I know of only one extant Willis, now in St Tanwg’s, Harlech, with non-stretto keys. St David’s, Newtown, Montgomeryshire had them before being rebuilt by Bishop. Gloucester Cathedral had them when pictured after the Willis work of 1844, but we do not know if they are Willis or earlier keys. About thirty years ago I examined an old Willis 2-manual organ in Hampshire not far off the road from London to Southampton. Maddeningly, I cannot remember where it was. If anyone knows of existing or reliably reported early Willis instruments with non-stretto keys I shall be glad to know of them. Likewise, I shall be glad to know of any extant Father Willis instrument with short compass Swell divisions or of reliable reports of such instruments. St Matthias, Stoke Newington (Dr Monk’s church) 1853, a 3-manual was surprisingly one such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJJ Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 There is a facebook page on Father Willis instruments which is reliable and free from the daftness found in some of the organ areas in said media. https://www.facebook.com/groups/639145742878503/ A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Dods Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Does this count? http://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=N16895 Can't remember if the keys overhang and it's not clear from the picture. Most of the swell is TC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Fownes Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrossGeigen Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Have a look on the NPOR at St. Mary the Virgin, North Leigh, Oxfordshire D05033. An 1861 Willis moved there by Bishop in the 1990's - there is a console photograph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aeron Glyn Preston Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 What about St Nicholas, Sutton, near St Helen's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Buchanan Posted September 2, 2017 Author Share Posted September 2, 2017 Sutton, St Nicholas. Yes, thank you for this, an interesting case. The job was evidently somewhat altered when moved to its present site, but the keys seem original Willis. The cheeks are the Willis pattern for non-stretto keys, similar to Hill's, but the Hill cheeks have a more complicated front. BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Buchanan Posted September 2, 2017 Author Share Posted September 2, 2017 On 13/08/2017 at 16:49, Jonathan Dods said: Does this count? http://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=N16895 Can't remember if the keys overhang and it's not clear from the picture. Most of the swell is TC. Thanks for this suggestion, but the Swell soundboard here is full compass 54 notes and two of the ranks run to CC. The keys do overhang. BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Buchanan Posted September 2, 2017 Author Share Posted September 2, 2017 On 15/08/2017 at 20:54, GrossGeigen said: Have a look on the NPOR at St. Mary the Virgin, North Leigh, Oxfordshire D05033. An 1861 Willis moved there by Bishop in the 1990's - there is a console photograph. Thanks you for this one. I should have remembered it from my youth when I went tuning at Hawkhurst. BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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