Church Organ - St John the Baptist - Berkswell, West Midlands
Posted by: 
SMacB
N 52° 24.598 W 001° 38.587
30U E 592295 N 5807502
The organ built by Messrs Willis of London was installed in 1897 was a gift to the church from the late Mr. John Feeney and was restored in 1994.
Waymark Code: WMVKEC
Location: West Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 04/29/2017
Views: 0
Church organ in St John the Baptist church, Berkswell.
Builders
1892 Father Willis London
1993 Mander London
restored, partly funded by grant from the Pilgrim Trust
Cases
Position in W tower arch
Department and Stop list
|
Pedal |
Key action Stop action Compass-low C Compass-high f1 Keys 30 |
|
|
1 |
Bourdon |
16 |
|
|
|
|
Great |
Key action Stop action Compass-low Compass-high Keys |
|
|
2 |
Open Diapason |
8 |
|
|
|
3 |
Dulciana |
8 |
|
|
|
4 |
Claribel Flute |
8 |
|
|
|
5 |
Principal |
4 |
|
|
|
6 |
Flute Harmonic |
4 |
|
|
|
7 |
Fifteenth |
2 |
|
|
|
8 |
Clarinet |
8 |
|
|
|
|
Swell |
Key action Stop action Compass-low Compass-high Keys Enclosed |
|
|
9 |
Open Diapason |
8 |
|
|
|
10 |
Lieblich Gedact |
8 |
|
|
|
11 |
Gemshorn |
4 |
|
|
|
12 |
Cornopean |
8 |
|
|
|
13 |
Tremulant |
|
|
Console
Console type Console cover
Couplers
Swell to Pedal
Swell to Great
Great to Pedal
Accessories
3 composition pedals
Further information
apart from the electric blower, an untouched example of the work of
Father Willis
SOURCE - (Visit Link)
"The organ was installed in 1897 on the instructions of the Rector, Dr Henry Watson. It was built by the firm of Henry Willis and Sons of London. John Feeney, a Birmingham newspaper proprietor then resident of the Moat House on the Coventry Road in Berkswell, paid the cost of £458. The organ was placed on the ground floor of the Tower in the Bell Ringing chamber, thus reducing by half the space for the campanologists.
The music in St John Baptist has always come from the rear of the church - in earlier times there had been a gallery encircling the west end and we know instruments such as bassoons and violoncellos were used as there are references to their maintenance in 18th century church warden accounts.
The organ has two manuals (or keyboards) and pedals with tracker (mechanical) action to the pipes. The “Swell” pipes are enclosed in a louvred box. There are two special foot pedals to provide instant loud or soft selections of pipes. Originally it was designed to be hand-pumped, the handle used to pump wind in to the pipes is still there – small boys would earn 6d a service pumping this handle. The electric motor which now provides the wind was installed in 1939."
SOURCE - (Visit Link)