Gestation of the new Tickell Organ

It became apparent that the 1967 modifications to the existing organ had done very little to resolve the problem of sound being locked in the organ chamber and the effect of the Hele Mixture, rather than binding the organ tone, seemed to produce a rather piercing sound which was uncomfortable to the average ear, while the tutti (full organ sound) lacked cohesion. Reports were obtained and, in the 1980’s, a number of options were put forward and discussed by the PCC including the possible purchase of an electronic instrument (a topic which was raised again prior to the decision to install the Tickell organ). The following extract from Willis’ proposal dated 18^th June 1982 may be of interest: “Although you say that the Church is willing to have the Great Organ outside the West Arch of the organ chamber (ie in the south aisle) I feel that to do this would further unbalance matters not only because the Swell would then still be behind the Arch (presumably with the Pedal at the back with its tones mostly coming out of the Chancel) but because the idea of the manual organ tones all coming from the South East corner of the Nave does not appeal (to the Parish) in the present context”. Clearly opinion can change in 20 years! Fund raising was started but plans for a long-term organ solution had to be placed “on the back burner” on two occasions when emergency repairs to the church were required: the first when fungus necessitated the stripping of the wooden floor from under the pews and its replacement with York stone and the second when a large crack appeared in the main Chancel arch. Willis was consequently engaged only to clean the organ and carry out relatively minor work in an effort to project more sound into the nave. This work is noted at the foot of the 1967 specification and it was effective. The situation could have continued for several more decades of deterioration before the organ wheezed its last but the seeds of change were sown in 1990 when the relatively new PCC Treasurer (Christopher Shaw) obtained approval for separate budget headings, including that for the organ. Funds for the organ were then set aside each year and, by the turn of the Millennium, had grown to over £20,000. Once the decision to replace the organ was made with, after some considerable debate, a new pipe organ, John Norman BSc, FIMIT, FISOB was appointed organ advisor, estimates from five builders were obtained and the contract was awarded to Kenneth Tickell & Co of Northampton. With £20,000 in the bank, the fact that the Tickell Organ Fund was ring-fenced, plus the will to mark the Millennium in a way that would benefit generations to come and that there had been careful consultation with the congregation at all stages, meant that the efforts of the fund raising team were met with success and within 5 weeks promises for the majority of the money needed had been obtained. It was a remarkable achievement.

Nevertheless it was very sad indeed to have to say goodbye to the old organ, despite its imperfections, and a great joy to find that, with the exception of the Pedal Open Wood (which many church members took away as a souvenir or to convert into a window box or pot planter) every other organ part was destined for new homes as follows:

St James, Yarmouth, IoW – Console (keyboards), Trumpet, Oboe, Pedal Bass Flute and Octave Flute

St Mary’s, Carisbrooke, IoW – (Great) Twelfth, Fifteenth; (Swell) Open Diapason, Stopped Diapason, Keraulophon and Gemshorn.

The remainder of the organ was taken to help in the construction of a 3-manual, privately owned instrument in Wadhurst, E. Sussex.

Elisabeth Alder