The organ of All Saints' Church, Nottingham

In the Building News of 11th November 1864, an article appeared under the heading "Consecration of Church" - the Church being the recently completed All Saints', Nottingham. After writing at considerable length on the impressive features of the building - from Chancel to Bell Tower - the article ended with the words "Messrs Lloyd and Dudgeon of Nottingham are entrusted with the construction of the Organ".

The company Lloyd and Dudgeon was formed in 1859, and built many instruments under that name in Nottingham. In an advertisement of that time, under the heading: "Messrs Lloyd and Dudgeon refer with pleasure to some of the principal organs built by them", the list for Nottingham and neighbourhood is headed by "All Saints' Church, new organ". The Church was dedicated in November 1864, and the Lloyd and Dudgeon organ was installed by them in 1864/65. It was, however, rebuilt in 1906 by Norman and Beard.

According to Mr A. J. Carter, himself an organ builder based in Wakefield, nothing of the original organ was used by Norman and Beard. All the pipes installed by them were of high quality make and sound; a characteristic of English organ building at the turn of the twentieth Century. The organ chamber houses pipes made of zinc, tin and wood.

It is recorded that in June 1916, the organist was asked to play the Dead March from "Saul" on one Sunday to commemorate the loss of British lives and ships at the Battle of Jutland on 31st May; and on the following Sunday, he played the Death of the Hero, to mark the death of Lord Kitchener. On Sunday 19th September 1920, the Dedication of the War Memorial, which stands at the eastern end of the South Side of the Nave, began with an organ recital by the Organist, at that time Mr F. Wyatt. At a later date, on 19th May 1989, Mr Paul Hale the then newly appointed Rector Chori and Organist at Southwell Minster, gave a recital at All Saints' to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Church and the installation of the Organ.

The organ was partly modernised by John Fussey (a local builder) in 1978, and the Console was moved from the south side of the Chancel to the north side. At that time, the action was updated from pneumatic to electro-pneumatic. Recent changes to the organ have been as follows:

• On 23rd November 1990 a new "Mixture" stop was added to the Great Organ, and tuned up.
• In 1993, a new Pedal Board was installed, and thumb and toe pistons added to the Console including a new solid state piston action, by Mr Andrew Carter, who now services the instrument on a regular basis. The setting can be changed from the back of the Console.
• In September 1994 a new Pedal Reed (Fagotto 16ft - ex Southwell Minster) was fitted.

The Organ of All Saints' Church, Nottingham, is well known to many organists in the Nottingham and District area, some of whom have had the pleasure of playing it from time to time. I believe it is also true to say that the presence of this Organ has contributed greatly to the Worship at the Church over the years.

Peter Moule, organist

Specification

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© St Peter's Church, Nottingham
Last revised 28th January 2006