News on projects from our workshop
Discarded GDB chamber organ is relocated to Stockport
This Grant Degens and Bradbeer chamber organ, rescued from a church in Northamptonshire, has found a fresh purpose in St George's Church, Stockport.
When the Northamptonshire church decided to discard it in favour of an electronic instrument, Wood Pipe Organs stepped in to buy it. Over the years, our firm loaned it to various churches on a number of occasions.
By happy coincidence, its new owner is organist and composer, Andrew Mayes, a former employee of Grant Degens and Bradbeer. He was pleased to offer it on loan to St George's, where he worships.
The specification is: Gedact 8', Chimney Flute 4', Fifteenth.
This Grant Degens and Bradbeer chamber organ, rescued from a church in Northamptonshire, has found a fresh purpose in St George's Church, Stockport.
When the Northamptonshire church decided to discard it in favour of an electronic instrument, Wood Pipe Organs stepped in to buy it. Over the years, our firm loaned it to various churches on a number of occasions.
By happy coincidence, its new owner is organist and composer, Andrew Mayes, a former employee of Grant Degens and Bradbeer. He was pleased to offer it on loan to St George's, where he worships.
The specification is: Gedact 8', Chimney Flute 4', Fifteenth.
J W Walker extension organ finds a new home in a Yorkshire Catholic Church
A 1959 J W Walker extension organ which stood unused for 12 years in a redundant church has found a new home in West Yorkshire.
The instrument was transported from Christ Church, Bacup, Lancashire to St Walburga's Catholic Church in Shipley where it now speaks from the west gallery.
Its comprehensive specification has been enhanced by the addition of a Conacher 16' pedal reed acquire from a redundant church near Huddersfield.
Wood Pipe Organ Builders have many years of experience in dismantling, moving and reassembling organs from one building to another and we take great care with the tonal finishing to ensure the instrument sounds at its best in its new home.
The instrument was transported from Christ Church, Bacup, Lancashire to St Walburga's Catholic Church in Shipley where it now speaks from the west gallery.
Its comprehensive specification has been enhanced by the addition of a Conacher 16' pedal reed acquire from a redundant church near Huddersfield.
Wood Pipe Organ Builders have many years of experience in dismantling, moving and reassembling organs from one building to another and we take great care with the tonal finishing to ensure the instrument sounds at its best in its new home.
Great
7 Trumpet 8 8 Mixture Ill 9 Fifteenth 2 10 Twelfth 2 2/3 11 Salicet 4 12 Stopped Flute 4 1 3 Principal 4 1 4 Salicional 8 15 Rohr Flute 8 16 Open Diapason 8 17 Contra Salicional 16 TC |
Swell
18 Clarion 4 19 Trumpet 8 20 Double Trumpet 16 TC 21 Mixture IlI 22 Flautino 2 23 Nazard 2 2/3 24 Salicet 4 25 Stopped Flute 4 26 Salicional 8 27 Rohr Flute 8 28 Open Diapason 8 |
Pedal
1 Trumpet 8 2 Octave Flute 4 3 Salicet 8 4 Flute 8 5 Quint 10 2/3 6 Bourdon 16 7 Trombone 16 |
Restored pallets and rollerboard for St Anne's, Carlecotes, and, right, the newly made pedal board.
The restored Great organ and, right, two of the new pedals manufactured to replace those damaged beyond repair.
Good progress on restoration of Grade II* listed James Conacher
Work is nearing completion on the restoration of the 1890 James Conacher organ from estate church of St Anne, Carlecotes, near Penistone, South Yorkshire.
A preliminary on-site examination led us to believe that the Grade II* listed instrument it had been untouched. This however proved to be untrue when work began in our workshop.
At some point in the past, some shoddy, corner-cutting repairs had been carried out by an unknown builder on the action and soundboards. Cheap replacement materials, including the use of inferior glue, meant that the restoration became more extensive than was first envisaged.
But perhaps it was the 19th century builders who were to blame for the inferior quality of the pedalboard, which fell to pieces on the bench. We have made a new set of pedals from beech to ensure good service for another 100 years.
Enough to say, that the best materials have been used throughout in the rehabilitation of this lovely organ – and reinstallation in St Anne's Church will take place soon.
A preliminary on-site examination led us to believe that the Grade II* listed instrument it had been untouched. This however proved to be untrue when work began in our workshop.
At some point in the past, some shoddy, corner-cutting repairs had been carried out by an unknown builder on the action and soundboards. Cheap replacement materials, including the use of inferior glue, meant that the restoration became more extensive than was first envisaged.
But perhaps it was the 19th century builders who were to blame for the inferior quality of the pedalboard, which fell to pieces on the bench. We have made a new set of pedals from beech to ensure good service for another 100 years.
Enough to say, that the best materials have been used throughout in the rehabilitation of this lovely organ – and reinstallation in St Anne's Church will take place soon.
Paul completing work on the Swell soundboard.
Choir and Organ Magazine highlights our company's 'enviable reputation for sensitive restoration and conservation'
We were pleased to see Paul Hale turning the spotlight on our company in a recent edition of Choir and Organ Magazine.
Mr Hale, the former director of music at Southwell Minster and an experienced organ consultant and author, also considered the work of another independent firm of organ builders, Henry Groves & Son of Nottingham.
His feature begins with an account of how our founder, Philip Wood, was bitten by the emerging neo-baroque bug, and devised a series of classically voiced unit extension organs.
It goes on to describe how Philip's interest in progressive organ design took a leap forward with the winning of the contract for a new three-manual, tracker-action instrument for Huddersfield Polytechnic, now the University, installed in 1977.
Mr Hale writes: “This superb instrument (with a case design by David Graebe, one of his very first) built a fine reputation in no time at all and has now been used for RCO Diploma examinations for many years.
"With the advent of that organ, Philip Wood, with a particularly able small band of former Conacher employees and apprentices, never looked back...
"Under Philip's son, David, (pictured right) the firm has developed an enviable reputation for sensitive restoration and conservation work on all sorts and periods of organs, and David's skills as a voicer/finisher are evident in all their organs, from bringing the best out of the Snetzler pipework at Beverley Minster to transforming the voicing of the Noel Mander organ formerly in Jesus College Chapel, Cambridge and now in the chapel of Truro School.
Mr Hale adds: “And what David and his team don't know about the organs of J.J. Binns isn't worth knowing – it helps that they have curatorship of the Binns order books.”
Mr Hale, the former director of music at Southwell Minster and an experienced organ consultant and author, also considered the work of another independent firm of organ builders, Henry Groves & Son of Nottingham.
His feature begins with an account of how our founder, Philip Wood, was bitten by the emerging neo-baroque bug, and devised a series of classically voiced unit extension organs.
It goes on to describe how Philip's interest in progressive organ design took a leap forward with the winning of the contract for a new three-manual, tracker-action instrument for Huddersfield Polytechnic, now the University, installed in 1977.
Mr Hale writes: “This superb instrument (with a case design by David Graebe, one of his very first) built a fine reputation in no time at all and has now been used for RCO Diploma examinations for many years.
"With the advent of that organ, Philip Wood, with a particularly able small band of former Conacher employees and apprentices, never looked back...
"Under Philip's son, David, (pictured right) the firm has developed an enviable reputation for sensitive restoration and conservation work on all sorts and periods of organs, and David's skills as a voicer/finisher are evident in all their organs, from bringing the best out of the Snetzler pipework at Beverley Minster to transforming the voicing of the Noel Mander organ formerly in Jesus College Chapel, Cambridge and now in the chapel of Truro School.
Mr Hale adds: “And what David and his team don't know about the organs of J.J. Binns isn't worth knowing – it helps that they have curatorship of the Binns order books.”
Historic restoration begins on James Conacher organ in estate church
Our team began work today on the restoration of a gem of a organ in a gem of church in the Yorkshire Pennines.
The Grade II listed estate church of St Anne, Carlecotes, near Penistone, was built in 1857 and stands in the grounds of the 16th century Carlecotes Hall.
To its good fortune, it retains an original, unmodified 1890 Grade II* listed organ by James Conacher of Huddersfield.
The instrument became unplayable in recent times because of problems with its mechanical action, so we were delighted to be invited to carry out a historical restoration.
The Conacher name is usually associated with organs voiced with studious restraint by the Huddersfield builder, Peter Conacher.
However, his brother James – and, in particular, James's son, Peter – created instruments of greater tonal interest, with bolder voicing, through first-hand experience of the work of Henry Willis.
The Carlecotes organ will be stripped down in our workshop where the soundboards will be repaired, the rollerboard rebushed, the tracker action restored, the pedalboard remade and the stencilled pipes carefully cleaned. It will then be returned to Carlecotes to serve for another century or more. The specification:
Great: Open Diapason 8, Dulciana 8, Principal 4, Flute Harmonic 4.
Swell: Violin Diapason 8, Lieblich Gedact 8, Gemshorn 4, Oboe 8.
Pedal: Bourdon 16.
The Grade II listed estate church of St Anne, Carlecotes, near Penistone, was built in 1857 and stands in the grounds of the 16th century Carlecotes Hall.
To its good fortune, it retains an original, unmodified 1890 Grade II* listed organ by James Conacher of Huddersfield.
The instrument became unplayable in recent times because of problems with its mechanical action, so we were delighted to be invited to carry out a historical restoration.
The Conacher name is usually associated with organs voiced with studious restraint by the Huddersfield builder, Peter Conacher.
However, his brother James – and, in particular, James's son, Peter – created instruments of greater tonal interest, with bolder voicing, through first-hand experience of the work of Henry Willis.
The Carlecotes organ will be stripped down in our workshop where the soundboards will be repaired, the rollerboard rebushed, the tracker action restored, the pedalboard remade and the stencilled pipes carefully cleaned. It will then be returned to Carlecotes to serve for another century or more. The specification:
Great: Open Diapason 8, Dulciana 8, Principal 4, Flute Harmonic 4.
Swell: Violin Diapason 8, Lieblich Gedact 8, Gemshorn 4, Oboe 8.
Pedal: Bourdon 16.
Restored Forster and Andrews organ finds a new home in the south west
An unwanted 1879 Forster and Andrews organ from St Margaret's and St Leonard's Catholic Church, Edinburgh, has found a new home in a church in the south west of England.
The two-manual instrument was in poor condition and virtually unplayable, so we were pleased to be commissioned to remove, restore and install it in the Church of Our Lady and Saint Alphege, Bath.
Five stops were 'prepared for' but never installed on this organ: three on the Swell and two on the Great. We were fortunate enough to find a Flute 8' and a Cornopean 8' from a contemporaneous Forster and Andrews instrument that had been broken up.
They now been fitted to the St Alphege organ and we hope to complete the prepared-for specification in due course, with a Swell Mixture and a Viola and Harmonic Flute 4' on the Great.
Thanks to a very enthusiastic organ committee guided by organ adviser Dr John Rowntree, the organ now stands on the gallery. Its façade pipes have been decorated and gold leafed to impressive effect by a member of the congregation.
The specification:
Swell: Open Diapason 8, Flute 8, Salicional 8, Voix Celeste 8. Principal 4, Oboe 8, Cornopean 8 + one prepared-for stop.
Great: Open Diapason 8, Triangular Flute 8, Principal 4', Twelfth, Fifteenth + two prepared-for stops.
Pedal: Bourdon 16'
A message on the church website says: "We are very pleased that the organ has now been installed and is fully in use. It is good that we have a worthy instrument so that we can give glory to God by music and song.
"We express our thanks to Woods of Huddersfield who restored and installed the organ over the last few months. We will be organising a concert and arranging for the blessing of the organ when it is fully settled in."
The two-manual instrument was in poor condition and virtually unplayable, so we were pleased to be commissioned to remove, restore and install it in the Church of Our Lady and Saint Alphege, Bath.
Five stops were 'prepared for' but never installed on this organ: three on the Swell and two on the Great. We were fortunate enough to find a Flute 8' and a Cornopean 8' from a contemporaneous Forster and Andrews instrument that had been broken up.
They now been fitted to the St Alphege organ and we hope to complete the prepared-for specification in due course, with a Swell Mixture and a Viola and Harmonic Flute 4' on the Great.
Thanks to a very enthusiastic organ committee guided by organ adviser Dr John Rowntree, the organ now stands on the gallery. Its façade pipes have been decorated and gold leafed to impressive effect by a member of the congregation.
The specification:
Swell: Open Diapason 8, Flute 8, Salicional 8, Voix Celeste 8. Principal 4, Oboe 8, Cornopean 8 + one prepared-for stop.
Great: Open Diapason 8, Triangular Flute 8, Principal 4', Twelfth, Fifteenth + two prepared-for stops.
Pedal: Bourdon 16'
A message on the church website says: "We are very pleased that the organ has now been installed and is fully in use. It is good that we have a worthy instrument so that we can give glory to God by music and song.
"We express our thanks to Woods of Huddersfield who restored and installed the organ over the last few months. We will be organising a concert and arranging for the blessing of the organ when it is fully settled in."
Video preview of organ concerts
We have been privileged to care for the Father Willis organ in Huddersfield Town Hall for more than 25 years.
So it was a pleasure to take part in a video to preview the 30th season of concerts played by the Kirklees Borough Organist, Gordon Stewart, (who has now retired from the post).
Concerts started online on September 24 and the preview gave Gordon the chance to talk about the organ with our Managing Director, David Wood, and to play some of the music to be heard in coming weeks.
So it was a pleasure to take part in a video to preview the 30th season of concerts played by the Kirklees Borough Organist, Gordon Stewart, (who has now retired from the post).
Concerts started online on September 24 and the preview gave Gordon the chance to talk about the organ with our Managing Director, David Wood, and to play some of the music to be heard in coming weeks.
Recital marks inauguration of organ in church of S Anthony, Beeston, Leeds
A recital by parish organist Catherine Harris celebrated the installation by our team of the organ in S Anthony of Padua, Leeds.
Her programme, which included pieces by Bach, Guilmant and Boëllmann, skilfully demonstrated the instrument's versatility. It was gifted to the parish by Borthwick Church, Midlothian. Parish priest Fr Timothy Whitwell said: 'We would like to thank all those who have contributed to this huge project including Dr John Rowntree, Benjamin Saunders, David Wood, his team and the generous parishioners who have contributed to the welcomed installation of this wonderful instrument in Beeston.' |
Part of the inaugural recital by Catherine Harris.
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Town Hall organ repairs put Father Willis instrument back on song
1. Leather is glued around the sides and front of the motors and left to dry. They are then ‘tailed’ by trimming excess leather and closing the hinged part. 2. The front is clamped so the motor will work freely when dry. 3. Traditional tools used in the process.
By Dr Gordon Stewart, Kirklees Borough Organist
Any concert hall instrument needs regular maintenance, especially if was built in 1860.
The Grand Organ in Huddersfield Town Hall is one of the finest concert organs in Britain and is lovingly cared for by David Wood and his team.
All the pneumatic parts are worked by small leather 'purses' which inflate and exhaust every time a certain note is played. After time the leather can perish – and the first the player knows of it, the note just doesn’t play.
Over the summer Wood Pipe Organ Builders are replacing the old leather on the actions for three of the manual divisions. Pictured here are the 'purses' of the Swell division, all the perished leather having been removed and replaced.
As with so much organ building, there is little mechanisation: every stage of the replacement – removal of perished leather, cleaning off the old glue, cutting out the new leather and gluing it into place – is done by hand and with great patience.
As one organ builder said: "These parts are buried deep in the organ where no one can see them. I need to know that no one will ever have to look at them again in my lifetime”
Thank God that such craftsmen and women still exist.
Any concert hall instrument needs regular maintenance, especially if was built in 1860.
The Grand Organ in Huddersfield Town Hall is one of the finest concert organs in Britain and is lovingly cared for by David Wood and his team.
All the pneumatic parts are worked by small leather 'purses' which inflate and exhaust every time a certain note is played. After time the leather can perish – and the first the player knows of it, the note just doesn’t play.
Over the summer Wood Pipe Organ Builders are replacing the old leather on the actions for three of the manual divisions. Pictured here are the 'purses' of the Swell division, all the perished leather having been removed and replaced.
As with so much organ building, there is little mechanisation: every stage of the replacement – removal of perished leather, cleaning off the old glue, cutting out the new leather and gluing it into place – is done by hand and with great patience.
As one organ builder said: "These parts are buried deep in the organ where no one can see them. I need to know that no one will ever have to look at them again in my lifetime”
Thank God that such craftsmen and women still exist.
Organ from Scottish parish moves south to Catholic church in Leeds
A two-manual Forster and Andrews organ from a Scottish parish is enjoying a new lease of life in a Roman Catholic church in Yorkshire.
We were invited to remove the instrument from the redundant Borthwick Church in Midlothian and install it in the church of S Anthony of Padua in Beeston, Leeds.
The organ, unaltered since it was built in 1893, is a fine example of the Hull organ builder's craft.
Great
Open Diapason 8
Dulciana 8
Stopped Diapason 8
Principal 4
Harmonic Flute 4
Corno di Bassetto 8
Swell
Open Diapason 8
Salicional 8
Voix Celestes 8
Gemshorn 4
Piccolo 2
Cornopean 8
Oboe 8
Pedal
Bourdon16
We were invited to remove the instrument from the redundant Borthwick Church in Midlothian and install it in the church of S Anthony of Padua in Beeston, Leeds.
The organ, unaltered since it was built in 1893, is a fine example of the Hull organ builder's craft.
Great
Open Diapason 8
Dulciana 8
Stopped Diapason 8
Principal 4
Harmonic Flute 4
Corno di Bassetto 8
Swell
Open Diapason 8
Salicional 8
Voix Celestes 8
Gemshorn 4
Piccolo 2
Cornopean 8
Oboe 8
Pedal
Bourdon16
Historic restoration of Forster and Andrews organ in 12th century North Yorkshire church We are delighted to have been commissioned to undertake a historic restoration of the organ in St Helen's Church, Stillingfleet, North Yorkshire.
The recorded history of the Grade I listed village church, six miles south of York, stretches back more than 800 years. It is thought to have been built in 1154 and the south west doorway is reputed to be one of the finest in England, with multiple layers of intricate carving. The two-manual organ, of nine speaking stops, was built in 1878 by Forster and Andrews of Hull and renovated, probably in the 1930s, by F D Ward of Middlesborough. Since then, wear, tear, extensive woodworm and bat droppings have taken their toll on the instrument, so this comprehensive restoration is timely. The damaging legacy of the bats may be seen in the mottled staining on the display pipes.
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Willis town hall organ fully functioning 'thanks to wonderful work by Wood'
Gordon Stewart writes: 'Thanks to wonderful work by Wood of Huddersfield, the Father Willis organ in Huddersfield Town Hall will all be functioning for the final concert of the season on Monday (March 19).
Water damage to the Pedal division and several wind reservoirs some months ago could have resulted in the series being cancelled had it not been for the dedicated care of David Wood and his team. Almost all the pipes of the Pedal Grand Bass 16 are back in on a completely restored soundboard. Monday’s concert includes music by Handel, Bach, Lemare, Rawsthorne and Dupré. Dr Gordon Stewart is Kirklees Borough Organist. |
Silence is golden after drawstop alterations on the Walker in St Olave's, York
The 1907 Walker organ in St Olave’s Church, York, has recently undergone some repair and improvement work by the team of Wood Pipe Organ Builders
The Great drawstop action has been replaced to enable quieter stop changes. The Director of Music, Keith Wright says: 'The result is things now move both promptly and silently – a revelation!' For reasons of musical flexibility, some console switching alterations were made to allow the stops on the Choir division to be played on the Great. The next stage in the project is to revoice the Great and Pedal reeds. |
Restoration of 20-year-old Frobenius organ in Canongate Kirk is completed
We are pleased to have completed restoration work on the 20-year-old Frobenius organ in Canongate Kirk, Old Town, Edinburgh.
Our team successfully carried out a clean and overhaul, repairs to pipework and a re-setting of the action on the two-manual instrument. It was the 1,000th organ to be built by the Danish builder, Frobenius, and its first in Scotland. The organ, which has 20 speaking stops, was specially designed for Canongate Kirk as a memorial to the Very Rev Dr Ronald Selby Wright, minister of Canongate from 1937-1977. It was re-dedicated at a parish service in April. To celebrate the refurbishment, Canongate’s director of music, David Goodenough, has arranged a series of organ recitals to take place during the Fringe this summer. |
Extension organ returns to its rootsA two-manual organ built in our Huddersfield workshop for a church in Leeds has returned to its home town.
The instrument was installed in the newly consecrated All Saints' Church, York Road, Leeds in 1982, following the demolition of the Victorian building on the site. As All Saints' has now closed, we were asked if we could find a new home for the extension organ, which contains three ranks: dulciana, gemshorn and flute. It was offered to Fr Ian Smith of the Parish of the Holy Redeemer, a community of Roman Catholic churches in Huddersfield. He saw it as an ideal replacement for an electronic instrument in Our Lady Of Lourdes, Sheepridge, where it has been enthusiastically received. |
Behold the C itself: The original Father Willis Grand Open Bass pedal chest and its 32 pipes are returned by our team to Huddersfield Town Hall organ
The windchest of the 16ft Grand Open Bass pedal stop on the Huddersfield Town Hall organ dates back to Father Willis and was not restored in the 1980 rebuild. Over the summer, members of our team removed the huge pipes and took the chest to our workshop, top left, for restoration.
This week it began its stately return to the town hall. An enlarged team then faced the challenge of lifting the 32 heavy wooden pipes back into the organ chamber. The task was completed successfully and the refurbished stop is impressive in its tone and power.
It will be heard in new series of concerts by Kirklees Borough Organist, Gordon Stewart, starting on September 18 at 1pm.
This week it began its stately return to the town hall. An enlarged team then faced the challenge of lifting the 32 heavy wooden pipes back into the organ chamber. The task was completed successfully and the refurbished stop is impressive in its tone and power.
It will be heard in new series of concerts by Kirklees Borough Organist, Gordon Stewart, starting on September 18 at 1pm.
How our dogged organ builder tracked down the hound of music
The hall had been combed by security staff. Soon the Royal visitor would arrive on stage to bestow degrees upon new graduates.
All was set for a grand occasion, except that the university organ, which was due to provide music for the ceremony, had gone to the dogs.
The mechanical-action instrument had been freshly tuned but, to the horror of the university organist, most of the Great division was producing no sound.
Organ builder David Wood went to investigate – and what he saw gave him paws for thought. Many of the Great trackers had been snapped and twisted, as if something had jumped on them.
His first thought was that a Royal security guard had let a sniffer dog into the instrument despite a specific request to leave it untouched.
Had a woofgang been at work? Was this why the organ was mysteriously incapable of playing Howells or Bach? It seemed a likely lead in his investigation – but a security official quickly dismissed the idea.
So during breaks in the degree ceremony, David set to work repairing as many of the trackers as time allowed. When the event was over, however, the truth was finally admitted. A Springer Spaniel had been let into the instrument.
‘I've encountered some strange situations, but this one was simply barking,” said David.
All was set for a grand occasion, except that the university organ, which was due to provide music for the ceremony, had gone to the dogs.
The mechanical-action instrument had been freshly tuned but, to the horror of the university organist, most of the Great division was producing no sound.
Organ builder David Wood went to investigate – and what he saw gave him paws for thought. Many of the Great trackers had been snapped and twisted, as if something had jumped on them.
His first thought was that a Royal security guard had let a sniffer dog into the instrument despite a specific request to leave it untouched.
Had a woofgang been at work? Was this why the organ was mysteriously incapable of playing Howells or Bach? It seemed a likely lead in his investigation – but a security official quickly dismissed the idea.
So during breaks in the degree ceremony, David set to work repairing as many of the trackers as time allowed. When the event was over, however, the truth was finally admitted. A Springer Spaniel had been let into the instrument.
‘I've encountered some strange situations, but this one was simply barking,” said David.
An East Riding Treasure: Robert Poyser's recording at BeverleyA recording of the recently restored organ in Beverley Minster has been made by the director of music, Robert Poyser.
The programme includes works by Lefebure-Wely, Guilmant, Bach, Choveaux and Howells. The centrepiece is the Sonata on the 94th Psalm by Reubke. Wood Pipe Organ Builders restored the organ, which contains pipework by Snetzler and Hill, in 1995. More recently, we made a number of additions: a 16' Bombarde and Fourniture to the Great, a Cremona to the Choir, a Double Trumpet to the Swell and a trumpet and mixture to the Pedal. The recording by Priory, PRCD 1181 is available from the Minster shop. |
New mixture and 16' pedal reed for church of St Charles Borromeo, Hadfield
Our team is looking forward to restoring the two-manual organ, above, in the Roman Catholic church of St Charles Borremeo, Hadfield, Derbyshire.
Built in 1862 by the Manchester firm of Wheildon and Roberts, the instrument was rebuilt in 1936 with tubular pneumatic action by Norman and Beard who incorporated some of the original pipe work.
Our work will include restoring the action and the addition of a mixture to the great and a 16' reed to the pedal division.
Built in 1862 by the Manchester firm of Wheildon and Roberts, the instrument was rebuilt in 1936 with tubular pneumatic action by Norman and Beard who incorporated some of the original pipe work.
Our work will include restoring the action and the addition of a mixture to the great and a 16' reed to the pedal division.
Restoration of two pipe organs severely damaged by flooding in Yorkshire
Flooding in the Calder Valley in January 2016 brought devastation to Mytholmroyd – and to the churches at the heart of the community.
Water penetrated the interiors of St Michael's and the Church of the Good Shepherd to a height of four feet, causing severe damage to the fabric, including the pipe organs.
Our team, led by David Wood, right, is in the process of restoring each instrument. The three manual organ in St Michael's, below, was built in 1912 by William Andrews of Bradford and rebuilt by our firm in 1980.
The one-manual Laycock and Bannister in the Church of the Good Shepherd was moved there from St Joseph's, Paisley.
Work on both instruments will be completed later this year.
Water penetrated the interiors of St Michael's and the Church of the Good Shepherd to a height of four feet, causing severe damage to the fabric, including the pipe organs.
Our team, led by David Wood, right, is in the process of restoring each instrument. The three manual organ in St Michael's, below, was built in 1912 by William Andrews of Bradford and rebuilt by our firm in 1980.
The one-manual Laycock and Bannister in the Church of the Good Shepherd was moved there from St Joseph's, Paisley.
Work on both instruments will be completed later this year.
We are grateful that the concert organist, Jonathan Scott, chose to record Pietro Yon's Toccatina for Flute on the organ of St Cross, Clayton, in his home city of Manchester.
The two manual instrument was designed and built in 1995 by Wood Pipe Organ Builders of Huddersfield and located on a gallery at the rear of the Grade II listed William Butterfield church. Great: Open Diapason 8, Chimney Flute 8, Principal 4, Gemshorn 2, Mixture III, Krummhorn 8 Swell: Lieblich Gedeckt 8, Salicional 8, Voix Celeste 8, Koppel Flote 4, Principal 2, Trumpet 8 Pedal: Sub Bass 16, Flute 8 |
Complex gilt: The 'lost' carving by Leonard Snetzler, restored and regilded, right, takes pride of place on top of the organ in Fulneck Moravian Church, Pudsey, West Yorkshire. The broken carving, pieced together by our team, below.
Lost 18th century Snetzler carving rediscovered by Wood Pipe Organ Builders
A lost 18th century carving which once decorated the case of a church organ in the north of England has been rediscovered by Wood Pipe Organ Builders.
The instrument in Fulneck Moravian Church, Pudsey, West Yorkshire, was built and installed in 1748 by the Swiss-born John Snetzler. It is thought the carving was by his brother, Leonard, a renowned wood-carver and plasterer.
The rococo design was found in small pieces in a cardboard box on top of the swell box by Michael Leadbeater as members of our team were overhauling the instrument.
Shortly before the find, a church member had produced an old photograph which showed the carving on a panel on the centre tower of the organ.
David Wood, managing director, said: “Michael said he’d found a box full of bits at the top of the organ. As soon as I saw it, I realised this was the lost carving shown on the black and white picture. It was a remarkable coincidence.”
He believes the carving may have been inadvertently smashed when the organ was rebuilt by JJ Binns in 1929 and that the culprit hid the evidence. The carving, which was covered in white paint, is now being restored in our Huddersfield workshop by Brian Brooman who discovered it was originally finished in gold leaf.
David said: “The people at Fulneck are thrilled at having their carving back. We shall restore it to its original position when our work on the organ is completed." We are delighted that our work on this important organ was recognised today with a feature in the Yorkshire Post, the region's national newspaper.
The instrument in Fulneck Moravian Church, Pudsey, West Yorkshire, was built and installed in 1748 by the Swiss-born John Snetzler. It is thought the carving was by his brother, Leonard, a renowned wood-carver and plasterer.
The rococo design was found in small pieces in a cardboard box on top of the swell box by Michael Leadbeater as members of our team were overhauling the instrument.
Shortly before the find, a church member had produced an old photograph which showed the carving on a panel on the centre tower of the organ.
David Wood, managing director, said: “Michael said he’d found a box full of bits at the top of the organ. As soon as I saw it, I realised this was the lost carving shown on the black and white picture. It was a remarkable coincidence.”
He believes the carving may have been inadvertently smashed when the organ was rebuilt by JJ Binns in 1929 and that the culprit hid the evidence. The carving, which was covered in white paint, is now being restored in our Huddersfield workshop by Brian Brooman who discovered it was originally finished in gold leaf.
David said: “The people at Fulneck are thrilled at having their carving back. We shall restore it to its original position when our work on the organ is completed." We are delighted that our work on this important organ was recognised today with a feature in the Yorkshire Post, the region's national newspaper.
Renovating an instrument that incorporates work by Snetzler and Binns
Work is well underway on renovating an organ in West Yorkshire that incorporates work by Snetzler and Binns.
The instrument in the Moravian chapel in Fulneck was built in 1748 by the Swiss-born John Snetzler at a cost of £140. In 1802 it was moved to its present position on the balcony. In 1929 an almost complete rebuild at a cost of £745 was undertaken by the Leeds firm of JJ Binns. It was probably the last organ on which company founder worked. The result was a mostly new instrument in what is thought to be the earliest surviving Snetzler case in existence. Besides a thorough clean and overhaul, Wood Pipe Organ Builders are replacing the dummies in the front of the case with new pipes in tin by Shires Organ Pipes of Leeds. The pitch of the instrument will also be raised to A440. To help to keep the organ in tune during the winter months, Shires are also replacing the unreliable tuning corks on three ranks of pipes with new felted cans. While the Snetzler-Binns is out of action, the church is using a one-manual, three-stop (8', 4', 2') Grant Degens and Bradbeer chamber organ, right, on loan from our firm. The wind supply is now reconnected and the work is expected to be completed before Christmas. |
The Moravian Community of Fulneck with the chapel in the centre, top left. Michael Hynes moves the pedal board, top, and the dusty state of the pneumatic lead tubing, above. Below, Paul and Michael wheel the chamber organ into its temporary home. Pictures: Brian Brooman
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Christ Church, Great Ayton Binns restoration: 'An excellent job well done'
After our restoration of the Binns organ in Christ Church, Great Ayton, we were pleased to read this extract from the parish magazine:
"On January 15, 2017, we held a service to rededicate the church organ after an extensive restoration that saw it taken apart and removed for several months. The project began three years ago when Martin Simmons, our churchwarden, led a successful bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore our Binns pipe organ, and to prove its value to the community through a series of concerts and workshops. "Wood Pipe Organ Builders were appointed to carry out the work and February 2016 saw the organ dismantled and taken to their workshops in Huddersfield. In September, 2016 David Wood and his firm began the painstaking process of reinstating the newly restored organ and attending to any issues as it settled back down. Finally in January we thought it safe to celebrate its return with a service and party. "The choir learnt new anthems, including a newly commissioned piece by Stephen Trahair. Michael, our organist, drew up a lovely service with well known hymns to celebrate the return of the organ, and we watched the new film made of the restoration by Ithica Films. We then continued with a short recital by Bishop Paul. Thanks were expressed to David Wood and his team for an excellent job well done. When an organ is settling back in again, things can go wrong and ciphers develop. Whenever these things happened, David’s staff came out straight away and efficiently sorted the problems, thus minimising any interruption to services and worship. David is pictured accepting a gift from the parish of a wee dram as a token of our thanks. |
Restoration of Binns organ and its autographed hand-blowing apparatus
It is always a pleasure to work on an organ created by the 19th century, Yorkshire-based builder JJ Binns – even more so when it is set in a church on the glorious North York Moors.
The restoration by our firm of the 1899 two-manual, 13 stop instrument in Christ Church, Great Ayton is nearing completion. The church received a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a community project which involved researching its history. Besides the restoration, we shall be reinstalling the hand-blowing apparatus. A local history group is undertaking research on those who once hand-pumped the organ, many of whom inscribed their names in the organ loft. Treasurer Ken Taylor said: “When we were examining the organ loft, we found names carved into the woodwork. Nowadays motors blow air into the organ, but in the old days it was done by hand. Some of those people carved their names into the woodwork and the events they were at, such as weddings.” Work on the organ should be completed by August and a film of the restoration will be created. The organ will then be the focus of a series of workshops for local children and adults to be run by Great Ayton’s Friends of Music group. The vicar, Rev Paul Peverell, said: "We are thrilled to have secured this grant and hope that when the restored organ is back in place we can encourage more people to take up this king of instruments." |
BEFORE: Pneumatic motors in a parlous state. AFTER: The motors after releathering in our workshop.
Restoration of important Walker instrument completed
Our comprehensive restoration of the 1931 Walker organ in the church of St James and St Basil, Fenham, Newcastle-upon Tyne has been completed.
After 80 years, parts of the three-manual instrument were beginning to fail and the church embarked on an ambitious project to restore it and develop its use for schools and the community. Our scheme focused on:
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Five new ranks of pipes added to the organ of Beverley Minster
Five new ranks of pipes have been added to the organ of Beverley Minster by Wood Pipe Organ Builders. The first instrument in the building was built by Snetzler in 1767 and many of the original pipes still exist.
The new stops are: a Bombarde 16' and a four-rank Furniture on the Great; a Double Trumpet 16' on the Swell; a Cremona 8'' on the Choir; and a Mixture of four ranks on the Pedal. All of the new pipes were made by Terry Shires of Leeds.
The specification of the organ, with further details about its history, may be found on the Beverley Minster website.
The new stops are: a Bombarde 16' and a four-rank Furniture on the Great; a Double Trumpet 16' on the Swell; a Cremona 8'' on the Choir; and a Mixture of four ranks on the Pedal. All of the new pipes were made by Terry Shires of Leeds.
The specification of the organ, with further details about its history, may be found on the Beverley Minster website.
Restoration of Cou
san s organ completedWork on restoring the three-manual Cousans of Lincoln organ in St Mark's, Broomhill, Sheffield has been completed by Wood Pipe Organ Builders. The restoration included significant work to the action and some tonal revision.
A wounded serpent l oses its biteClergy at Blackburn Cathedral were faced with a rare problem: a wounded serpent in the organ loft.
The renowned 32 foot stop on the 1969 Walker instrument – named after its resemblance to the Renaissance woodwind instrument – began to collapse at Christmas. With the help of a cherry picker, our team removed the bottom four double-mitred, green and gold pipes before taking them for surgery by Terry Shires, the Leeds pipe maker and repairer. |
Restoration captured on filmThis video shows the rebuilding by Wood Pipe Organ Builders of the instrument in George Street Chapel, Oldham.
Organist Les Garner accompanies the Age UK Oldham Choir in All Things Bright and Beautiful and Breathe on Me, Breath of God. Work on the organ - further details below - was completed in 2014 and the choir recording was made in August. We are grateful to the Friends of George Street for creating the video. |
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New home for house organA house organ commissioned from Wood Pipe Organs by Alan Spedding, the former organist of Beverley Minster who died earlier this year, is in caring new hands.
The four-stop, two-manual and pedal instrument has been acquired by Greg Morris, associate organist of the Temple Church, London, and a former assistant director of music at Blackburn Cathedral. |
Wood wins contract for important WalkerThe 1931 Walker organ in the church of St James and St Basil, Fenham, Newcastle-upon Tyne is to be restored by Wood Pipe Organ Builders.
A report for the British Institute of Organ Studies in 1981 said it was 'beautifully made' with 'no expense spared'. It awarded Grade 1 Listed status by BIOS 'in recognition of it being an outstanding and unusual instrument'. The organ's four divisions are disposed over three manuals and the instrument enjoys use by not only in regular parish worship, but by a variety of organists at all stages of training, including school children. |
Rare Casson organ built for a hotel checks out of our workshop
A project to restore a rare organ from north Wales has been completed. The two-manual Casson from Bethania Chapel, Eglwysbach, was originally built for an hotel.
It was brought to the West Yorkshire workshops of Wood Pipe Organ Builders for comprehensive restoration. The organ dates from 1900 and its first home was a suite in St George’s Hotel, Llandudno. Katherine Himsworth, a member of the church's fundraising committee, said it had been described by a specialist as 'an exceedingly rare and rather precious survival, and in many ways a one-off'. |
Church organ goes back to Royal Northern CollegeA Nigel Church instrument which had been loaned by the Royal Northern College of Music to St Margaret's, Whalley Range, Manchester, has been returned to its home. The two-manual organ, left, was dismantled by staff from Wood Pipe Organ Builders, refurbished and rebuilt in a practice room at the college. It will give students access to an instrument while the Hradetzky is out of commission during building works in the concert hall . |
Our team begins restoring instrument in historic chapel
An 1835 organ has been returned to George Street Chapel, Oldham, after specialist restoration in our workshops.
The Georgian Chapel was refurbished during our work on the two-manual instrument, which had been unplayable for some time. It now speaks clearly into the building.
The Georgian Chapel was refurbished during our work on the two-manual instrument, which had been unplayable for some time. It now speaks clearly into the building.
Action work and tonal changes in Sheffield organ restoration
The three-manual organ in St Mark's, Broomhill, Sheffield is to be restored by Wood Pipe Organ Builders.
The church was fire-bombed during the Second World War and remained a shell for more than 20 years until it was restored in 1963. An integral part of architect George Pace’s design for the new building was the organ, built by Cousans of Lincoln. Since then, it has become one of the church’s major assets, underpinning a vibrant musical tradition. The restoration will include significant work to the action and some tonal revision. |
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Organ builder's role in video
A new video, narrated by Jonathan Scott, which explores the Marcussen organ in the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester has been published on YouTube.
The mechanical action instrument has been in the care of Wood Pipe Organ Builders for many years and managing director David Wood explains its workings from inside the chamber. The video has been produced by the Scott Brothers Duo and appears by permission of the Bridgewater Hall. |
Workshop restoration of rare pre-Victorian pipe organ nears completionWork on the 1835 organ from George Street Chapel, Oldham, is nearing completion.
The chapel, built in 1815, is one of the first described as ‘Independent Methodist’. It closed in 1990 and was eventually bought by Age UK which is restoring the building for use by the community. Wood Pipe Organ Builders was entrusted with the restoration of the ailing two-manual, mechanical action instrument which was clogged with dirt and close to unplayable. After careful repairs to the soundboards, bellows, action, keyboards, pedals, casework and pipes, the organ is playing once more. It will be soon be returned to its home in Oldham. |
Let us spray - for humid weather to help town hall organWater music: David Wood in the town hall organ chamber. Picture: Huddersfield Examiner.
Cold weather in early Spring sent humidity levels plummeting to below 20, leaving some pipe organs in a parlous state.
Wood Pipe Organ Builders was called to churches, halls and cathedrals across the country to deal with action problems caused by the drying and cracking of timber and leather. Managing director David Wood was obliged to spray parts of the organ in Huddersfield Town Hall and leave 24 buckets of water in the chamber to ensure a lunchtime recital by Kirklees borough organist Gordon Stewart. Even though most of the swell organ was out of action, Dr Stewart went ahead with a virtuoso programme that included Pageant by Leo Sowerby, the Variations de Concert by Bonnet, Bach's Toccata in F and Thalben-Ball's Variations of a theme of Paganini for pedals. He told the audience: "It is a tribute to the skill and hard work of the curator of this organ, David Wood, that this concert can take place." The town's daily newspaper, the Huddersfield Examiner, picked up on the story and carried a report and picture, above. |
New clarion call for Wakefield Cathedral
The swell organ of Wakefield Cathedral has striking new Trumpet and Clarion stops of spotted metal.
The 8ft and 4ft reeds, made in Leeds by Shires Organ Pipes and voiced by David Frostick, were installed by Wood Pipe Organ Builders. The pipes were heard for the first time at the Palm Sunday Eucharist on March 24, the first service to be held since the renovation of the nave. A collection of pictures illustrating the renovation project at the cathedral can be seen at www.366days.org.uk |
Overhaul of cathedral organ swell soundboards
New Father Willis recording
A new recording of an important Father Willis has been released by Gordon Stewart. He plays the 1860 instrument in Huddersfield Town Hall, which is in the care of Wood Pipe Organ Builders. His programme includes works by Buxtehude, Bach, Bourgeois, Widor and Franck
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Click the arrow, below, to hear an extract from Gordon Stewart's new recording. It is the Prelude on Anima Christi by Robert Cockroft, published by Banks Music Publications of York.
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Work begins on bringing back to life a 19th century rarity
A 19th century building and its organ are being given a fresh lease of life thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The charity Age UK is restoring George Street, Chapel, Oldham, for use by the community. It was built in 1815 and is important as one of the first described as ‘Independent Methodist’. The chapel closed in 1990 and was eventually bought by Age UK.
Wood Pipe Organ Builders has been entrusted with the restoration of the 1830s two-manual, mechanical action organ which was in a parlous state. Work has begun on dismantling it and taking it to our works for investigation and overhaul. Work should be completed by the end of this year. It is not established who it was made for or where it was first used, but researchers at the chapel believe it was relocated there about 1874.
Wood Pipe Organ Builders has been entrusted with the restoration of the 1830s two-manual, mechanical action organ which was in a parlous state. Work has begun on dismantling it and taking it to our works for investigation and overhaul. Work should be completed by the end of this year. It is not established who it was made for or where it was first used, but researchers at the chapel believe it was relocated there about 1874.
Town Hall concert honours firm's founderPhilip Wood, far left, with members of Huddersfield Organists' Association. David Wood is third from right.
The life and work of Philip Wood, founder of Wood Pipe Organ Builders, was commemorated in a lunchtime concert at Huddersfield Town Hall in November. Kirklees Borough Organist, Gordon Stewart, a good friend, created a programme of pieces that Philip loved. They included Bach's Fantasia and Fugue in G minor and the Final from Vierne's First Symphony. Gordon told the audience: "Besides being a craftsman, Philip was a keen organist with deep love and profound knowledge of his profession. He made a rich contribution to the organ scene in this country." |
Inside the Bridgewater Hall organ
There was a rare chance for members of the public to glimpse inside the Marcussen Organ at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, on October 2 at 2.30pm. David Wood, managing director of Wood Pipe Organ Builders, which looks after the instrument, guided visitors on a tour inside. www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk
Full steam ahead as Wood Pipe Organ Builders restore two-manual Booth
The organ in Westgate Chapel, Wakefield, has been restored by Wood Pipe Organ Builders. A recital by Jonathan Bielby, organist emeritus of Wakefield Cathedral, marked the end of a 20-year campaign to have it refurbished. The chapel stands next to the railway station and the accumulated filth from passing trains had made the instrument unplayable. David Wood says: "It was the dirtiest we've ever had to deal with."
The two-manual mechanical action organ, by Francis Booth of Wakefield, was installed in the gallery in 1847. Its construction came early in his career and when it was dismantled some of the work was found to be crude. Fresh, knotty wood had been used and the soundboards were held together with clout nails and glue. The work was financed by the Pilgrim Trust, Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust and the Chapel Trustees with smaller grants from Yorkshire Unitarian Union and Wakefield Council.
The two-manual mechanical action organ, by Francis Booth of Wakefield, was installed in the gallery in 1847. Its construction came early in his career and when it was dismantled some of the work was found to be crude. Fresh, knotty wood had been used and the soundboards were held together with clout nails and glue. The work was financed by the Pilgrim Trust, Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust and the Chapel Trustees with smaller grants from Yorkshire Unitarian Union and Wakefield Council.
'Clarity and quality of restoration'
Restoration: St Luke's, Brierfield.
After a 13-month restoration by Wood Pipe Organ Builders, the organ at St Luke's, Brierfield, Lancashire, was rededicated.
The service began with a procession led by managing director David Wood who replaced the final pipe to signify the end of the work.
A fanfare written by Noel Rawsthorne followed. This was the moment that many had been waiting for and they were not disappointed.
A member of the congregation said: 'The clarity and quality of the newly restored instrument were obvious for all to hear.'
The service began with a procession led by managing director David Wood who replaced the final pipe to signify the end of the work.
A fanfare written by Noel Rawsthorne followed. This was the moment that many had been waiting for and they were not disappointed.
A member of the congregation said: 'The clarity and quality of the newly restored instrument were obvious for all to hear.'