Organ matters - Organs matter!

I've had some more information come in, and it looks like the builder who rebuilt the organ into its present state - sometime in the mid-late 60s - was Alfred E. Davies/ Jack Davies who shared his workshop in Northampton with GDB.  Some of the pipework was definitely made by GDB.

Does anyone know whether any of Davies' records have survived?

Many thanks, Tony.
I've written to BIOS and to several other people and have managed to find out a little more.  Still some gaps, which I hope to fill in time eg - Who was Mr Ainslie from Bridgnorth (the original owner), what was his connection to the Aeolian company and when did he sell the organ to Ronald Colborne?
Regards,
Nigel

Thanks for checking, David.

Nigel

Many thanks, Tony.

It was originally build by Aeolian in the 1920s for a Mr Ainslie (Aynslie) in Bridgenorth, Salop.  It was bought after the war by a Ronald Colborne from West Drayton, who later moved, with the organ, to Newport, South Wales.  Mr Colborne had the organ rebuilt by A.E. Davies/GDB, possibly on more than one occasion.  The console was completely rebuilt, using the casing from the original Aeolian. John Bailey at Bishop's thinks that it is a Davies console.  He was involved at some point in work on the organ.  A new Gemshorn rank was added by GDB (actually GD & Rippin at that time), and John Bailey remembers that this rank was made by an apprentice - it's not of brilliant quality.  Roger Taylor replaced the chest magnets in the 80s and Mr Colborne sold/gave the organ to John Scott Whiteley around 1994.  Geoffrey Coffin (Principal Pipe Organs) moved it to York for JSW and later moved it again to Everingham when JSW retired from York Minster.  Geoffrey Coffin removed the case as it was in poor condition (JSW later regretted this.)  He also removed the swell box, leaving the organ unenclosed.  JSW didn't have room for the Dulciana bottom two octaves and these were removed and stored by Geoffrey Coffin and later used in another organ.  I bought the organ from JSW in 2011 and moved it to Somerset.  I have recently moved house and am rebuilding it again.

I would dearly love to find out exactly what work Davies and GDB did on it.  I have located a copy of Maurice Forsyth-Grant's book on Amazon , but it costs nearly £50, so i can't afford it at the moment.  If you can see any reference to my organ, i would be very grateful.
I sent the details of the organ to NPOR in 2012, but it has still not appeared - when it does, I'll need to change the address!

Many thanks for your help,

Nigel

Many thanks, David.  I spoke to John today and he remembered something about my organ which he was involved with some years ago.  He doesn't have any records, but thought that Matthew Copley (now Edward Dove) may know the whereabouts of some records of GDB and A.E. Davies.  John also passed some old records to BIOS, so I'll contact them too.

Does anyone know whether any of the records of this company have survived?  I'd like to see if they have any records of work done on my house organ.  I'd also like to find a genuine nameplate  to go on the console.

You have a message.

Nigel

I may have two moves next year, but once the multicores are split, it should be much easier.  I want to make a few changes when I move her - will have to see how it works out.  I hope you fine something for St Helen's - would one of those Osmond Priory extension jobs suit?  They did a model with 2-manuals & pedal.
Nigel

Dear Fr Otto,

Thanks for your interest.  I'm going to have to start dismantling her soon - a friend who is an electronics engineer is thinking about ways to split the multicores which would make it possible to move her out without using a cherry picker - which I can't afford this time round.  I've found a flat locally in which it would just be possible for her to fit, so at a push, I could rebuild her there.  But, if St Helen's are interested .............  I'm in Wivey - TA4 if you want to have a look at her before she comes apart.

Regards,

Nigel

I'm moving in mid-January.  Last chance to buy the organ before it has to go into storage.

Just looking again at the entry on NPOR.  The picture of the pedalboard shows that it is short compass - 25 notes - extending only to C.  This would severely restrict the repertoire which could be performed on it.  A pity as it would cost a huge amount to extend.

Comes up using zeros.  Quite a decent little organ.  Pity that Lance couldn't have fitted a 2' when he did the rebuild.  Why are they getting rid of it?

NPOR doesn't recognize this number.....

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

Sadly, still needing a new home for this organ.  I have to move out by the end of Feb ad don't really want to have to store it in the church crypt which is somewhat damp.

N

Hi,

I've just picked this up, so sorry for the delay in responding.  The organ is still for sale.  I have to move out soon, so' sadly, it needs to go.  The details are below - please contact me if you are interested.

Regards,

Nigel

SPECIFICATION OF HOUSE ORGAN
The organ is essentially a unit organ of five ranks;
A   Principal 4 - becomes 8 with bass from B
B   Stopped flute 8
C   Dulciana 4 becomes 8 with bass from B (originally 16)
D   Tierce 1 3/5
E   Bourdon 16

Manual 1 (61 notes
A/B    Diapason 8
B   Gedeck t 8
C/B   Dulciana  8
A   Principal  4
C   Dulcette  4
C   Twelth   2 2/3
C   Fifteenth 2
C   Nineteenth   1 1/3
C   Twentysecond  1
Manual 2  (61 notes)
B   Gedeckt  8
C/B   Dulciana  8
A   Principal  4
B   Flute  4
C   Dulcette  4
B   Nazard  2 2/3
B   Piccolo  2
D   Tierce  1 3/5
C   Twentysecond  1
Pedal  ( 30 notes)
B/E   Contra bass  16
Contra dulciana  16  (no longer present0
   Echo bass  16 (previously electronic – now removed)
B   Flute 8
C/B   Dulciana 8
C   Quint 5 1/3
A    Fifteenth  4
B   Flute  4
C   Dulcette  4
C   Mixture ll

Double touch stop action  Three adjustable pistons to each manual – setter board below music desk.
Dimensions:
Soundboards & pipes: 97" (length) x 38" (depth) x 86" (height)
Console: 55" (width) x  32" (depth (+ 16" for pedal board & bench) x 57" (height to top of music desk)
Notes: (provided by John Scott Whiteley)
The organ has been used for practice by a number of eminent recitalists.  Gillian Weir, the Great dame, declared, on rehearsing Widor's Toccata on it, that it was the best practice organ she had ever encountered. Gordon Stewart, Kevin Bowyer, Thomas trotter, David Sanger, Pierre Pincemaille and Naji Hakim have all practiced for a short time on it.  John Scott Whiteley used it regularly to learn repertoire, including some of the Bach he performed in the Complete Works series in York Minster, September to November 2000, and also televised on BBC 2 and BBC 4 between June 2003 and April 2009.






   

You might be interested in mine; http://www.organmatters.com/index.php/topic,1836.0/topicseen.html

5-rank 2-manual & pedal.  Obviously will need to be dismantled to move, but I have her in an upstairs flat.  I'm away for most of the day, but can send more info if you're interested.

Nigel

Another on ebay - looks to be in a poor condition and not sure if the photo shows a pile of pipes beside the console: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231388631511?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Still waiting for this to be shown - it's been 2 years now.  Very disappointing personally, and, of course, if this is the norm then the database is, sadly, very out of date.

Is this one any good to you, Fr Otto? http://www.ibo.co.uk/IBO2005/services/redundant/locResult.asp?county=Somerset&Submit3=View&index=0