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St John the Baptist Church in Fortuneswell

Started by David Pinnegar, October 08, 2012, 10:33:22 PM

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David Pinnegar

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Father-Willis-Pipe-organ-Built-in-1890-upgraded-in-1930-/180986128365

This Great Hall Organ is at the moment in St John the Baptist Church in Fortuneswell, Portland (DT5 1LR). We have permission to have it removed. If you want it, then you will have to pay for its removal. The Diocese of Salisbury do not want it dismantled or scrapped. Below is the pipes as detailed by Ian Bell, who surveyed the organ in 2004. There is a much more detailed survey if requested. 

There is a industrial blower situated in its own outside holding (as pictured). The main body of the organ is situated on a balcony with in the church, and there is a large console.

The Organ

GREAT ORGAN 61 notes                                         

1.                   Double Open Diapason                     16                  (part dispIayed in case)

2.                   Open Diapason 1           8                     1933, wooden bass

3.                   Open Diapason 11      8                   

4.                   Open Diapason III         8                   

5.                   Harmonic Flute                                  8                   

6.                    Octave                                              4                     1933

7.                   Principle                             4                   

8.                   Fifteenth                           2                   

9.                    Tuba (from Choir)        8                     mostly 1933

                                               

SWELL ORGAN 61 notes                                       

1.Lieblich Bourdon          16                 

2. Geigen Diapason           8                   

3.Lieblich Gedact         8                   

4. Saliciodal   8                   

5. Gemshorn     4                   

6  Flageolet   2                   

7  mixture      IV                    1933

8. Double Trumpet          16                                         

9 Cornopean 8                   



CHOIR ORGAN 6A notes

1.        Viola da Gamba   8

2.        Clarabel Flute   8

3.        Dulciana   8                                             

4.        Concert Flute       4

5.        Orchestral Oboe          8                     1933

6.   Clarinet                                    8

Tremulant                       

Tuba                                                             8



PEDAL ORGAN 32 noses

1.        Subbass                              32                  acoustic

2.        Open Wood                                            16

3.        Open Diapason (Gt)   16                  1933?

4.        Double Bass                                            16

5.        Bourdon                            16

6.        Lieblich Bourdon (Sw)                     16

7.        Octave Wood                                         8                   

8.        Principal                            8                   

9.        Flute                                                            8                   

10.     Ophideide                        (Ch)               16                 

11.     Trumpet    (Sw)               16                 

12.     Tuba                                     (Ch)               8

           

This was the instrument which, in 1968, was dismantled on the closure of the Hammersmith buildings, and transferred to St John's Fortuneswell This work was undertaken on a tight budget by a very small local firm, Hutchings of Coleford, and was adequate in so far as it went. Some electrical components in the console were renewed, but otherwise there seems to have been no attention beyond that necessary to accommodate (with some difficulty) the organ on the new site. None of the perishable materials dating from 1933, such as delicate leatherwork, were replaced, and so 35 years later, the organ is essentially unplayable.

Even if it were not in such a poor mechanical condition, it is unlikely that any real impression could now be gained of the organ's original quality by anyone who had not known it prior to 1968, since it was re-arranged in a somewhat eccentric fashion, with the main department – the Great Organ - in the tower space at the back of the organ. What is clear from examining the pipework, despite the somewhat pessimistic comments from one of the tenderers, is that most of the surviving Willis ranks show no evidence of fundamental alteration. Furthermore, whatever alteration has taken place was all prior to the organ leaving Hammersmith - in other words the organ remains, in its character and materials, that which the school formerly owned.

There is little purpose in attempting a detailed Condition Report in the normal way - as is often the case, much of it cannot be properly examined with the pipework in place, and the state of the organ does not permit the usual careful tests to be made, which would normally give a reasonably safe guide to those aspects which cannot be reached. This hardly matters, since it is clear - both from the lamentable condition and also simply from the time which has elapsed since the last major work in the 1930s - that it would be unwise to resite the instrument and embark upon a further chapter in its existence without the most thorough restoration and refurbishment of every aspect of its mechanism. I think this is accepted by all concerned.

By IAN BELL Professional Advice on Organ building Matters