ORGANS IN & AROUND CHESTERFIELD

CENTRAL METHODIST, SALTERGATE

 

A Wesleyan chapel stood on this site by 1795. The present handsome building with its columned portico was opened in 1870, and the postcard (right) shows an atmospheric view c.1905.

In 1870 a "large French harmonium" was purchased, and four years later a pipe-organ was installed by Peter Conacher (Huddersfield). It was dedicated on 6th August 1876, and William Spark, organist of Leeds Town Hall, was at the console. Several stops were prepared for; four were added by Conacher in 1904, and an electric blower was installed by Compton in 1914. In 1936 the organ was completely rebuilt by Abbott and Smith (Leeds); eight ranks were added, and other modifications made. Here is the stoplist as I recorded it on a visit to the church in 1978:

GREAT
    16       Lieblich Bourdon
     8       Large Open Diapason
     8       Small Open Diapason
     8       Stopped Diapason 
     8       Salicional
     4       Principal
     4       Flute
     2       Fifteenth
     8       Tromba
     4       Clarion    
 
SWELL
     8       Geigen Diapason
     8       Rohr Flute
     8       Echo Gamba
     8       Voix Celestes
     4       Gemshorn
     2       Piccolo
    III      Mixture
    16       Contra Fagotto
     8       Horn
     8       Oboe
             Tremulant    
 
PEDAL
    32       Harmonic Bass
    16       Open Diapason
    16       Bourdon
    16       Echo Bourdon          Great
     8       Octave
     8       Bass Flute
    16       Trombone
    16       Contra Fagotto        Swell
 
Couplers: 3 unison; Swell 8ve, sub8ve & unison off; Great 8ve & sub8ve.
Thumb & toe pistons.
Balanced pedal to Swell.
Compass: 61/30
Electro-pneumatic action.

The organ sat on a gallery at the front of the church; the drawstop console was attached. It was possibly the loudest organ in Chesterfield, and everything was generously scaled. The reeds commanded in no uncertain fashion, and, as was my youthful wont, I gleefuly added the (rare) Great octave and suboctave couplers to the trombas, producing a high-pressure reed chorus of 16.8.8.4.4.2., which I inflicted upon the hapless congregation in a series of French Toccatas.

 

Since 1975 the condition of the organ had been giving concern; by 1984 it was declared "beyond economic repair" and was removed in the same year, sold for parts. The interior of the bulding was gutted, and a Makin electronic organ was installed for the re-opening a year later. The Makin cost £9,250; it has 25 stops on two manuals. It is a pleasant enough organ-substitute, although musically inferior to the old pipe-organ. It does, however, have two powerful pedal reeds and a big Tromba on Great, which cause my fingers to twitch for some strange reason.

PICTURE CREDITS
Central Methodist, 1990s exterior: Julian Rhodes 1998

SOURCES
The historical material in this account comes from a history published by the church, and from the late Harry Lumby, a former employee of Abbott & Smith.

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