19 : St Barnabas organ 1916
When the church was built in 1916, there were advanced plans to install a large 45-stop organ from Henry Willis and Sons, but due to shortage of funds, perhaps due to World War I, these never came to fruition. Instead, the church purchased a second-hand organ, built by Bryceson in 1865, from the church of All Hallows, St Pancras. This was a 2 manual organ with 23 stops. By coincidence it was installed in St Barnabas by the firm of William Hill, the makers of our current magnificent organ. It was never adequate for the size of the church. During World War II, some of the glass was blown out of the west Rose window, so the organ was exposed to adverse conditions. By the 1950’s the instrument was declared to be ‘worn out’ in reports from two famous organ builders (Willis and Manders), and both recommended the building of a new organ, but again funds were unavailable. In 1966, Noterman overhauled the organ and installed an electric action, fitting the console in sideways position at the south side of the choir gallery. Noterman again overhauled the organ in 1991, moving the console to the front of the choir gallery. It became increasingly unreliable and was finally dismantled in 2010.
Here are photographs of the choir gallery with the organ console in the front of the gallery (after 1991) and sideways on (pre 1991)
And here’s the choir gallery ‘between organs’ in 2010 !
