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Robert Allen Organ redundant - 2MP w. 4 Reeds!

Started by Fr. Otto, November 22, 2014, 08:53:39 PM

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Fr. Otto

I've had a look, and a play, of this instrument in the next-door County, hoping it might do for us, but fear it's physically too big at 7' 8"w x 12' 6" d x 12' 2" h, to be accommodated without drastic re-disposing. I think it's been sadly neglected for years, but could/should be a splendid machine.
Does anyone here know more about Robt. Allen of Bristol? A 'jstor' reference, has him claiming in an ad. to have worked with 'Willis of London' - perhaps mere sales-talk, but Cornopean, Oboe (Sw.) and Corno di Bassetto, Trumpet (Gt.) sounds quite Willisy, and there's a spare Pedal slide I'm guessing might have been 'Trombone/Ophicleide (prepared for)'.
It would seem a shame for this decent instrument to have to go abroad.
f

revtonynewnham

Hi

DBOB has the following information on the Allen's of Bristol:-

ALLEN Robert  [DBOB-ref=3]
Born: 1832c
Died: 1883
Established: undefined
Floruit: 1859-1883
Located: Bristol
Trade: ob

Addresses used by this firm

Address      From   To
King Sq Ave, Bristol   1860D   1864D
Phippen St, Bristol [16 in 1871 Census]   1865D   1873D
14   Somerset Sq, Bristol   1874D   1875D
17   Phippen St, Bristol   1868D   1883D
References for the information above

Trade Directories: Mathew's Bristol 1860-69; Wright's Bristol 1870-80/82-83
AF card: no ref
BIOS J11 (1987), p.85
Edmonds, B.B. corres D.Whaley
Census 1871
Musical Times 1859 /07 ad
Musical Standard 1884 /02, No.1018

Census entries for this firm

Census Reference: RG10/2519 f.50
Year: 1871
Name: ALLEN, Robert
Address: 16 Phippen Street, Bristol

Resident Name   Relation   Age   Trade   Born
ALLEN, Robert            
Cross references for this firm

Willis & Sons - worked for (& trained by?) (1859)
ALLEN Robert  (4998)  [DBOB-ref=4998]
Born: 1832c
Died: 1883
Established: undefined
Floruit: 1859-1883
Located: Bristol
Trade: ob

Addresses used by this firm

Address      From   To
King Sq Ave, Bristol   1860D   1864D
Phippen St, Bristol [16 in 1871 Census]   1865D   1873D
14   Somerset Sq, Bristol   1874D   1875D
17   Phippen St, Bristol   1868D   1883D
Titles used by this firm

Robert Allen   1859-83   
Cross references for this firm

Bland, CW & Co - succeeded by

Smith, John (junior) - successor to

ALLEN Robert Frankling  [DBOB-ref=3348]
Born: 1857c
Established: undefined
Floruit: 1871
Located: Bristol
Trade: ob

References for the information above

Census 1871 - under Robert Allen

Cross references for this firm

Allen, Robert - son of

Every Blessing

Tony

Fr. Otto

Most helpful, thank you. Did he really work for/was apprenticed to Henry W.? An organ-builder I've spoken to was a bit sniffy about some of Allen's smaller organs. A couple of us are going up to Somerset tomorrow (all being well) to have a/nother look/listen and measure, but I suspect it'll merely confirm what I already guess, that it's too big for the small Church of which I'm P-in-C. Surely there's someone in this Country, even in 'the West Country', who could give decent home to an Organ with "a very pleasing sound and a fine musical voice", with a sensible set of flues, two reeds on each of the the two Manuals, plus the opportunity for a further one on the Pedals!
f#

diapason

I know a local church where this would have been ideal, but, sadly, they chose to buy a toaster.