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The Renn Organ
The Organ stands on the north side of the Chancel, behind the Choir stalls. It was built by the distinguished Manchester Organ builder Samuel Renn and was installed in 1839 at a cost of £427 12s. 11 1/2d, the money being raised by public subscription within the parish. Technically and tonally Samuel Renn had continued, in his organ building, the traditions and methods established by the London organ builder James Davis to whom he was apprenticed in 1790. Having eventually taken over James Davis' business on his death, Samuel Renn moved to Manchester in the 1820's to set up his own business. It can therefore be said that Renn was still building 18th Century organs up to the 1840's when he himself died. Our Organ in St. Mary's and All Saints is one of the few specimens from the classical period of English organ making remaining virtually intact and in its original condition. It is for this reason that the survival of his work is important.
Our Organ is "listed" by the British Institute of Organ Studies as an "Organ of Historic Importance" and is referred to in some detail in Dr. Sayer's book "Samuel Renn, English Organ Builder."
The Organ case is typical of the period, with an oak front with full height return panels at each side in soft wood. The front pipes still have their original gold leaf. It was originally installed on the choir screen above the nave [a hole in the top of the wall on the left hand side of the nave is the old entrance to the organ loft, the organist presumably climbing up a ladder to reach it.] The organ was moved to its present position in 1857. Having been in constant use for over 160 years, it was decided in the 1990's that if our Organ was to continue to play well for another 100 years it should be overhauled and restored. An Appeal was set up in 1996 to raise necessary funds. By 2004 sufficient money had been raised for restoration to begin. The restoration, which has cost approx. £60000 [an amount perhaps comparable, in present money terms, to the original cost of the Organ in 1839] was carried out by Messrs Goetze and Gwynne, specialist organ restorers based in Worksop. Work began in July 2004 and was finished in time for the Organ to be played at Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve 2004.
Over half of the money raised in the Appeal was raised within the Parish, by individual donations and from the proceeds from many fund-raising events. We were also fortunate to receive donations from the Mary Webb Trust, the On-Organ Fund, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Allchurches Trust, the Pennycress Trust, the Robert Clutterbuck Charitable Trust, the Mercers Company and the Council for the Care of Churches. The largest donation, which finally made the restoration possible, was a Grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
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Site last updated on April 23, 2008 |
