Tag: pipe organ

Our Most Holy Redeemer & St Thomas More, Chelsea

Having previously written about the Shrine of Our Lady of Willesden and its connection with Sir Thomas More and his family, I was very happy recently to have the opportunity to visit Chelsea (where More lived at the end of his life) to play for a Sunday mass at the church which – since his canonisation in 1935 – bears More’s name.

Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer and St Thomas More Catholic Church. [Source: – geograph.org.uk]
Location of the church of Our Most Holy Redeemer & St Thomas More, Chelsea, London (UK).
Location of the church of Our Most Holy Redeemer & St Thomas More, Chelsea, London (UK).

The site in Upper Cheyne Walk was formerly occupied by Orange House, one of a terrace of eleven houses (c.1710), of which the other ten remain. Orange House was the location (1876–82) of workshops belonging to  the well-known ‘Arts and Crafts’ potter and ceramic artist William de Morgan (1839–1917). The present building was consecrated in 1905, built to the Renaissance-style design of Edward Goldie (1856–1921).

Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer & St Thomas More, Chelsea, London (UK). [Source: geograph.org.uk]
Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer & St Thomas More, Chelsea, London (UK). [Source: geograph.org.uk]
Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer & St Thomas More, Chelsea, London (UK). [Source: taking-stock.org.uk]

George-Maydwell-Holdich (1816-96). [Source: Organ Historical Society opf Australia ohta.org.au]
G. M. Holdich (1816-96) [Source: ohta.org.au]
At the west end of the church is an organ gallery and pipe organ that replaces an earlier instrument destroyed by aerial bombing during the Second World War. The present  instrument was made by G. M. Holditch (1816–96) for a church in High Wycombe. It was described there as  having an “elegant case of ebonised wood, generously gilded on moulding and ornamentation.” (NPOR). Since then that case has largely been lost and the instrument been much adapted by unknown hands. Although now rather unattractive in appearance this instrument is nonetheless well suited to congregational accompaniment.

Builder’s plate on the west-gallery pipe organ; church of Our Most Holy Redeemer & St Thomas More, Chelsea, London (UK)
Pipe-work of the west-gallery pipe organ; church of Our Most Holy Redeemer & St Thomas More, Chelsea, London (UK)
Console and pipe-work of the west-gallery pipe organ; church of Our Most Holy Redeemer & St Thomas More, Chelsea, London (UK)
Console of the west-gallery pipe organ; church of Our Most Holy Redeemer & St Thomas More, Chelsea, London (UK)
West gallery and pipe organ; church of Our Most Holy Redeemer & St Thomas More, Chelsea, London (UK)

References

A Bevington in Kensal Town

The south side of the church of St Thomas Kensal Town, London W10 (UK)
Location of the church of St Thomas Kensal Town, London W10 (UK)
The north side of the church of St Thomas Kensal Town, London W10 (UK)

The present  church of St. Thomas with St. Andrew and St. Philip Kensal Town (London, W10, UK) replaces an earlier building and was opened in 1967; built to the design of Romilly E. Craze (1892-1974).

St Thomas, Kensal Road, London W10; west end, c.2010; image by John Salmon. [Source: geograph.org.uk]
St Thomas, Kensal Road, London W10; east end, c.2010; image by John Salmon. [Source: geograph.org.uk]

The former church here was opened in 1889, built  to the designs of Demaine and Brierley of York, J. Demaine being described as ‘Diocesan Surveyor’.  The building was demolished following aerial bombing during the Second World War. It has not been possible to locate any pre-war images of the interior of this building.

The bombed-out church of St Thomas Kensal Town, London W10 (UK); north side.
St Thomas, Kensal Road, London W10; The first church building [Source: http://www.sthomaskensaltown.co.uk]

The pipe organ

The pipe organ in the 1889 building was lost to war damage; details of that instrument are given in the National Pipe Organ Register. The present west-gallery instrument is a second-hand 1-manual organ by Bevington and Sons of Rose Street, Soho, London.  This address. and the builder’s plate  would give the organ a date between 1867 and 1896.

The pipe organ, c.1867-96, by Bevington and Sons, Rose Street, Soho, London.
The pipe organ, c.1867-96, by Bevington and Sons, Rose Street, Soho, London.
A Mason & Hamlin Reed Organ (1918) Style 86 K; to give an idea of the temporary instrument described in the parish records.,
The pipe organ, c.1867-96, by Bevington and Sons, Rose Street, Soho, London.
The pipe organ, c.1867-96, by Bevington and Sons, Rose Street, Soho, London.
Memorial plates on the pipe organ, c.1867-96, by Bevington and Sons, Rose Street, Soho, London.

While the previous location of this instrument is unknown,  its recent history can be traced in the PCC minute books as follows:

        • PCC Minutes 21.9.1965. “Organ & Choir. It would be possible and most Desirable. to site Both of choir & organ at West End When type of organ has been decided upon and the Organ Builder so that they can consult with Mr Craze” [Romilly E. Craze was the new building’s architect].
        • PCC Minutes 20.10.1965. ”Makers of Compton Organ inform us that if we PURCHASE  our organ now they will Guarantee to maintain present day price.”
        • PCC Minutes. 5.4.1967 “Organ.  Letter from Diocesan House re organ Stating that they cannot see their way clear to supply cash for organ. Mr Craze is going to see Secondhand Organ which is for sale at £675. For the remodernising and installation of the organ final cost would be approx. £1000.”
        • PCC minutes 16.4 1972 “The 16 stop American reed organ has been given to the Cecil Club.” [The Cecil Club, 1-5 Wedlake Street, was a nearby local authority facility for senior ciizens]

References

Strangely Moorish …

St Paul the Apostle, Station Road, Wood Green, London N22 7SY

The north-London catholic church of St Paul the Apostle in Wood Green has perhaps the least kerb-appeal of any church I know. The forbidding (unforgiving) single-storey facade of plain, repeating concrete arches facing onto a busy traffic route gives the building a rather Moorish appearance, there being no obviously Christian signifiers except for a tiny cross high a-top a towering narrow pylon. Indeed I supsect many people driving past might even mistake the place for a mosque in this typically multi-cultural London borough.

 

The location of the church of St Paul the Apostle, Wood Green, London N22.
The church of St Paul the Apostle (1971), Wood Green, London N22. Source: Wikimedia Commons
The church of St Paul the Apostle (1971), Wood Green, London N22. Source: Geograph

A Catholic presence was first established in Wood Green in 1884 with a new church in Romanesque-style (1904) designed by Edward Goldie (1856–1921). Alas, I can find no images of this building.  In 1971 Goldie’s church was replaced by a new church with hall, school and presbytry attached, all designed by John Rochford and Partner of Sheffield.

 

Interior, the church of St Paul the Apostle, London N22. Source: ‘Photographs of London Churches’.
Interior, the church of St Paul the Apostle, London N22. Source: ‘Photographs of London Churches’.
Interior, the church of St Paul the Apostle, London N22. Source: ‘Photographs of London Churches’.
Interior, the church of St Paul the Apostle, London N22. Source: ‘Photographs of London Churches’.
Interior, the church of St Paul the Apostle, London N22. Source: ‘Photographs of London Churches’.

The shape of the church is a pentagon, with the sanctuary at the apex. The interior is plain, even austere, all of brick and concrete, lit from above by clerestory windows. Colour is priovided by a series of stained-glass windows, a number brought from the previous church. Most striking are the huge panels of modern stained-glass that almost completely fill the top half of the wall facing the altar. They were commisioned in 1982 from the Maltese artist Carmel Cauchi on the theme ‘Pilgrim Church’. The interior of the church is larger and loftier than one might have imagined before entering, seating over 600, and yet despite its scale it conjours a quiet and prayerful aura.

The Organ

Detail: the pipe organ by Monk & Gunther (1975) in the church of St Paul the Apostle, Wood Green, London N22. Source: Andrew Pink
Detail: the pipe organ by Monk & Gunther (1975) in the church of St Paul the Apostle, Wood Green, London N22. Source: Andrew Pink
Detail: the pipe organ by Monk & Gunther (1975) in the church of St Paul the Apostle, Wood Green, London N22. Source: Andrew Pink
Detail: the pipe organ by Monk & Gunther (1975) in the church of St Paul the Apostle, Wood Green, London N22. Source: Andrew Pink
Detail: the pipe organ by Monk & Gunther (1975) in the church of St Paul the Apostle, Wood Green, London N22.
Detail: the pipe organ by Monk & Gunther (1975) in the church of St Paul the Apostle, Wood Green, London N22. Source: Andrew Pink
Detail: the pipe organ by Monk & Gunther (1975) in the church of St Paul the Apostle, Wood Green, London N22. Source: Andrew Pink

The pipe organ was built (1975) by the now defunct local firm of Monk and Gunther. The pipework on the cantilevered gallery – with console at ground level – makes an impressive visual impact in the buidling. This is not matched by its tonal impact because of its poorly conceived ‘extension’ design, which provides little variety in terms of colour or power, being weak and barely sufficient for accompanying the liturgy in this bustling, well-attended church. Sadly, the instrument seems to have been well built and well maintained, with no signs of needing replacement any time soon.

References