The magnificent 1932 Walker (IIP 26ss) organ in the Great Hall of Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth 1 sixth form college in Leicester is under imminent threat of destruction. Work will begin on 24 June to convert the Great Hall into a library, classrooms and study areas at which point the organ will have to be removed.
Despite being an imposing and largely unaltered building from 1932 the Great Hall is not listed and the organ itself has no statutory protection. Despite several professional organbuilders having seen the organ over the past few months, apparently no-one thought to advise the school to list the organ on the IBO redundant organs site. I became aware of the situation only a week ago when I was contacted by the Leicester Diocesan DOA, Simon Headley. Simon has no jurisdiction over the organ but is one of several cathedral organists who practised on the organ when they were students at the College. I also included the organ in my little 2010 book Historic Organs of Leicestershire, as I regard it as one of the best examples of an organ in a school in the state sector.
Details of the organ can be found on NPOR here (http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=D07877)
The organ is in exceptionally good condition having been maintained by Walkers until quite recently. It has the original 1932 electric action with its attendant cotton-covered wiring which would need replacing, naturally. The oak case front is imposing and visually raises this organ above the usual dreary rows of zinc drainpipes that one so often finds in organs of this era. The organ was donated to the college by Sir Jonathon North, chair of the College Corporation and Leicester Education Committee.
All the stops are full compass with the only extension/borrowing being the swell fagotto/oboe being used on the pedal, great contrasalicional being used on the pedal and pedal open wood 16 also providing the octave 8.
Although the organ has not been tuned for about four years, a quick tune of the swell reeds revealed a magnificent sound that filled the fine acoustic of the Great Hall.
The college is keen to find a home for the organ as a going concern and it would be the greatest tragedy if the organ were to be dismantled only for parts or that it went into storage for an indeterminate time.
I do have photos and some sound files. If someone can tell me how to load these I will be happy to do so.
David Shuker
At the Sign of the Pipe
Birling, Kent
Hi
I do hope a home can be found for this instrument. David I would like to see some photographs of it, could you try and message me with them please?
Best wishes
Barrie
Dear Barrie,
I'm afraid that I haven't quite got the hang of using this forum yet and I can't work out how to attach photos. Any ideas?
David
This organ is is now up on the IBO redundant organs site - #388
There are a couple of photos.
David
Hello everybody!
How much would this organ cost? Maybe I can find a new home here in southern Italy...
When I discovered this thread my heart nearly stopped as I used to play this organ every day when I was at school (when it was Wyggy Boys' still). THe Great Hall had a fantastic acoustic with about a 3 second resonance. The organ is on the gallery at the back of the hall and has a low panelled surround which let the whole sound flood out. It is a superb sound, very bright and full organ is fantastic.
If I didn't already have two cinema organs I would try to save it myself. It would be fairly easy to remove as access is good. It has a sister instrument which was in the contemporary Wyggeston Girls school but that was very boxed in and the sound was nowhere near as good. I don't know if that organ is still extant.
I can't believe the short sightedness of the decision but that is what I suppose is called progress. Tragic I say.
One further thought, the blower is under the main entrance foyer of the great hall. Access is through a trap door in the main entrance foyer floor. Every now and again the blower would trip out and I would have to borrow the lifting keys from the caretaker to lift off the trap door to get below to the little room containing the blower and reset the trip. I never did work out how the main wind line ascends to the organ balcony.
Quote from: At the Sign of the Pipe on May 17, 2013, 09:53:10 AM
The magnificent 1932 Walker (IIP 26ss) organ in the Great Hall of Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth 1 sixth form college in Leicester is under imminent threat of destruction. Work will begin on 24 June to convert the Great Hall into a library, classrooms and study areas at which point the organ will have to be removed.
Despite being an imposing and largely unaltered building from 1932 the Great Hall is not listed and the organ itself has no statutory protection. Despite several professional organbuilders having seen the organ over the past few months, apparently no-one thought to advise the school to list the organ on the IBO redundant organs site. I became aware of the situation only a week ago when I was contacted by the Leicester Diocesan DOA, Simon Headley. Simon has no jurisdiction over the organ but is one of several cathedral organists who practised on the organ when they were students at the College. I also included the organ in my little 2010 book Historic Organs of Leicestershire, as I regard it as one of the best examples of an organ in a school in the state sector.
Details of the organ can be found on NPOR here (http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=D07877)
The organ is in exceptionally good condition having been maintained by Walkers until quite recently. It has the original 1932 electric action with its attendant cotton-covered wiring which would need replacing, naturally. The oak case front is imposing and visually raises this organ above the usual dreary rows of zinc drainpipes that one so often finds in organs of this era. The organ was donated to the college by Sir Jonathon North, chair of the College Corporation and Leicester Education Committee.
All the stops are full compass with the only extension/borrowing being the swell fagotto/oboe being used on the pedal, great contrasalicional being used on the pedal and pedal open wood 16 also providing the octave 8.
Although the organ has not been tuned for about four years, a quick tune of the swell reeds revealed a magnificent sound that filled the fine acoustic of the Great Hall.
The college is keen to find a home for the organ as a going concern and it would be the greatest tragedy if the organ were to be dismantled only for parts or that it went into storage for an indeterminate time.
I do have photos and some sound files. If someone can tell me how to load these I will be happy to do so.
David Shuker
At the Sign of the Pipe
Birling, Kent
This organ has already been featured on another thread. David (P) - perhaps we can amalgamate the two. There seems no reason for them to remain disparate.