St George Redditch

[Barrie Davis]

I was told yesterday that this church had closed and that the fate of the organ is undecided, it was originally in an Oxford College Chapel and is a 3 manual built by Rushworth and Dreaper.

[David Drinkell]

Ex-Queen's College, oxford, supplanted when the Frobenius went in.  If it's anything like the Rushworth at St. James, Antrim Road, Belfast, which has an almost identical stop-list, it should be a fine instrument.

[Gwas_Bach]

One of the specs I've seen for this instrument seemed to list the sole reed on the Great as being at 16'.  That can't be right, can it?

[Barrie Davis]

You are right it is 8ft.

I understand that the leather motors are in a bad state and have been for some time.

[JBR]

You are right it is 8ft.

I understand that the leather motors are in a bad state and have been for some time.

Do you happen to know whether Barry Barker and his wife (sorry, forgotten her name - she was the organist, I believe) were still involved until the closure?

[Barrie Davis]

Sorry but I do not know, maybe the Vicar of the church they amalgamated with could help.

Best wishes
Barrie

[JBR]

Thanks anyway.  It was a long time ago, when Barry was teaching at the University of Central England.

[JBR]

I was just reminiscing about early days and recall being invited by BB to have a play with the Redditch organ.  He explained that they had recently had a break-in and parts of the organ had suffered the consequences including, sad to say, the young gentlemen having urinated into some hooded reeds.
Perhaps worse, they had attempted to prise open a steel safe using a LEAD pipe!  Unsuccessfully, needless to say.
Of course, it goes without saying that most of our criminal fraternity are 'intellectually challenged'.  I suppose that's why they are criminals: too dim to do anything else.