Dalry Congregational Church, London , UK
This church closed in January [2005] after 125 years of worship. Situated only a few hundred yards from Haymarket it housed until last month an exceptional little organ, which was not well known, although the Edinburgh Society of Organists did hold one masterclass meeting there about fifteen years ago.
The organ was thought to have been built by the renowned William Hill of London in 1841, but some of the pipework bears the markings of James Bruce of Edinburgh (who ceased working c.1850). The Great Stop Diapason 8' is a chimney flute of a type at which Bruce excelled at making. It is thus probably the organ built by Hill for Drummond of Millearn House near Auchterarder in 1841, which Bruce mentions he worked on in a letter dated 16th December 1842.
The organ found its way to Albany Street Congregational Church at some point before being moved to Dalry and enlarged by Herbert King in 1892. Since then, it remained unaltered - in every sense of the word. Concerned about its future, I have now acquired the organ and it has been moved for storage to the manse at Stow until a new home can be found. The dismantling and removal was largely carried out by Forth Pipe Organs.
The specification is:
Great (Hill/Bruce): Open Diapason 8, Stop Diapason 8, Principal 4, Flute 4, Fifteenth 2.
Swell (King): Bourdon 16, Open Diapason 8, Gamba 8, Clarabella Flute 8, Gemshorn 4, Harmonic Piccolo 2, Oboe 8, Tremulant .
Pedal (King): Bourdon 16.
Couplers: Swell to Great, Great to Pedal, Swell to Pedal.
Mechanical Action to manuals, charge-pneumatic to Pedal Bourdon.
Size: 9' wide, 9' deep, c.15' high.
The 1892 work complements the earlier work remarkably well and the whole organ has a bright, clear but not overpowering sound. It would suit a small to medium sized church.
Enquiries can be made to me at Buchan@Alan-Cath.freeserve.co.uk or at 01578 730237. All suggestions welcome. The organ cost me £500 to acquire and the cost of dismantling and transportation, carried out by Forth Pipe Organs, amounting to about £1,600, will also have to be passed on to a prospective owner.
Alan Buchan, 209 Galashiels Road , Stow TD1 2RE
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