The Pipe Organs at St. Peter’s

The 19^th. Century

In rural parishes up to around the middle of the 19^th. century, it was the custom for hymn accompaniment and music in Church to be provided by local musicians. It is easy to imagine this situation at St. Peter’s with the ‘Musician’s Gallery’ below the tower now empty again as it was up until the 1930s’.

The first organ mentioned in surviving annual accounts was in 1879 and during that year the 'Misses Carruthers and Teally' were paid a total of £12 for their efforts as organists.  In 1882 an organ was loaned from 'Mr. Strolmeyer' suggesting that the previous one (possibly the first in the Church’s history) had given up the ghost. In 1883 'Charles Massey' was paid a salary of £0-18s-0d  for  his services as organ blower.

 In 1885 a sum of £10 was received for the sale of the old organ. This does not seem much until it is realised that the total income to the Church that year was just £64-18s-2d.

The 20^th. Century

In  1898 the organ that was to serve St. Peter’s until the year 2000 was installed in the North Aisle in front of the Tofte Chapel by R. Trustam.  Trustams were a well known local firm of organ builders, - James and Son were in business in 26 Midland Road, Bedford between 1864 and 1880 and Josiah and Arthur in 42 Castle Road  until 1885. Arthur and John Stokes continued the business until around 1914.  Many local organs were built, installed and maintained by Trustams including Bletsoe and Ravensden to name but a few.  Josiah Trustam had been the main organist at Sharnbrook for fifteen years until he retired in 1898.

From evidence obtained when it was dismantled it would appear that Trustam built the organ from existing parts and therefore it cannot be attributed to any particular builder.  The cost was covered by the Watson family who resided at ‘Riverside House’ – now ‘Ouse Manor’ in Sharnbrook. The inscription is shown opposite.

In  1905 the organ was turned round, presumably to speak better into the Church and a new  case provided. It can be clearly seen on the old photograph of the Church shown opposite which was taken soon afterwards..

At this time the Choir sat in front of the screen as the existing chancel was the domain of the Gibbard family and used as their ‘Family Pew.’

Around 1933 the organ was moved  to the West Gallery, one possible factor being that the Choir had moved into the now vacated ‘Gibbard Family Pews’ and  were unable to be seen by the organist.  In 1952 Bertie Hales was appointed as organist at an annual honorarium of  £20 and in 1955 the organ was overhauled by Mackenzie Frazer and an electric blower fitted.

The Specification of the Trustam organ was as follows: 

 Towards the Millennium

Following  a report by Eric Pask, the Diocesan Organ Advisor in 1992 it became obvious that either the organ needed  a major overhaul or complete replacement. Following the consideration of options a replacement by a new or refurbished instrument was considered the best solution. An experiment was also initiated for a new position in the East end of the South Aisle to overcome the problem of communication with the choir and alleviate over-warming by the new heating system.  A small house organ loaned from the diocese was used for this experiment following the moving of the pulpit to the North Side.  Peter Wilks, a long term worker and enthusiast of St. Peter’s musical tradition had recently died and bequeathed a sum of money to start an organ replacement fund. 

Following a few years of experiment, searching and fundraising, eventually an organ became available from St. John’s Church, Letty Green near Hertford which was being made redundant.  It was considered suitable both in size and (following refurbishment) condition to be installed in the new South Aisle position. Accordingly Robert Shaftoe, the local organ builder from Pavenham was commissioned to carry out the work.

This organ had been originally built  by J. W. Corps and installed in Letty Green in 1889 at a cost of £260. James .W.  Corps, born soon after 1800, was apprenticed to the firm of Flight & Robson, builders of the Apollonicon and also small barrel organs.  It appears that he stayed with them until the break-up of the partnership in 1832, joining another firm after this.  By 1839, he was working on his own, advertising barrel organs from 40 guineas and finger organs from 50 guineas. Corps set up in Reading, appropriately for his name, with an undertaker, and did work at St Giles (a contract which he gained from Bishop & Starr) and St Lawrence.  By 1847 he had left Reading but was doing business in Norwich; in 1853 his letterhead contained Hampstead.

The organ had been overhauled at St. Johns with tonal changes by Peter Collins around 1970 and a balanced swell had been added.  During the summer and cold winter of 1999 Robert Shaftoe completely refurbished the whole organ and it was installed in St. Peter’s and dedicated by the Archdeacon of Bedford on April 12^th. 2000. Eric Pask gave the inaugural recital.

During 2001 the old Trustam organ was recovered from the west gallery revealing  the newly refurbished west window and  restoring the 'Musicians Gallery' that  the choir have made use of at our recent Christmas Carol Services.

J. W. Corps organ after installation. April 2000	Organ Console	View from South Aisle
Peter Wilks. 1926 - 1993	Archdeacon (Malcolm Lessiter), Canon Ian Arthur, Robert Shaftoe and Eric Pask.	Eric Pask

  The specification of the refurbished organ is as follows:

In Memoriam:

A plaque on the organ  in memory of Peter Wilks and  Roger Lewis Roberts, (a previous rector of the parish)

marks major contributions to the replacement fund. Hundreds of pipes were also sponsored, the major front pipe sponsorship is shown in the table below: