All Saints Church, The Hollow, Hartford,Huntingdon PE29 1YF
Soundboard table (top) being resurfaced complete with the two new sliders - 2nd from left for the Mixture stop, that under plane a replacement of the warped old mixture slide, now to be cone gamba
Revised Mixture stop pipes, with lots of new pipes in front rank, fitted in new position. Cone gamba pipes fitted in site where Mixture was and originally the Keraulophon
Original Pedal Soundboard for lowest notes restored for mechanical action
Building frame repaired - to be reassembled this week
Action lever beam in restoration
Lever beam reassembly
PEDAL BOARD reconstruction. It had been altered and the layout was wrong
Pedalboard receiving new toe piece
Pedalboard completed
Soundboard restored
Pallets being recovered
HARTFORD ORGAN - progress pictures as at 16/11/20Richard of Bower & Co “I have gathered together some photos of progress which is going well. Things were certainly poor in the reconstruction and severely messed around in places. The soundboard has needed everything doing to it (as sliders had been cut, altered. chopped etc etc.. The pedalboard may have been converted from parallel; all the dowels and positions were wrong and eventually we made a new curved toe piece as the old was beyond reuse. Mixture and cone gamba pipework all sorted and as new stop knob prepared and engraved.Layout and construction of new pedal action underway.”
HARTFORD ORGAN Organ Workshop Complete!!
STOOL GETS A NEW TOP! FRONT MOULDING REPAIRS ON BENCH
KEYBOARD ACTION INSTALLEDNEW PEDAL SOUNDBOARD INSTALLED AT BACK BASS BOURDON PIPE LAYOUT BEING MADE GOODSTOP ACTION REMADE
All Saints Church, The Hollow, Hartford, Huntingdon PE29 1YF
HistoryBuilt by Hill & Son of London and installed in 1874 for £205The Hartford organ was typical of Hill’s small church instrumentsIt was moved to its current position in the Chancel in about 1894Several changes have been made to the organ over the yearsThe organ has given excellent service for nearly 150 yearsIt is now showing its age and a renovation is neededThis will enable the organ to give many more years of extended serviceProcessNicholas Thistlethwaite, an eminent Organ Consultant is advising usThe PCC sought quotations from Organ Builders for the workFull approval was given by the PCC for the work to proceedA Faculty approving the work has been obtained from the Diocese Bower & Co of Norwich have been awarded the contractThe work will take 13 weeks with completion by the end of the yearAppealThe cost of the work is £25,475 plus VATThe VAT will be reclaimed under the Listed Places of Worship SchemeOver £22,000 has been raised so far
Organ Appeal for £25,475While we are in the middle of the second lockdown we aren’t able to give updates about the Organ Appeal at the weekly Sunday Services, so I thought I would share the latest news through HartfordChurch@groups.outlook.comToday the total for the Organ Appeal had reached £22,278 which is fantastic especially in these times which are so affected by the Covid pandemic. That means that to reach the total we need a further £3,197 and hopefully this will be achieved before Christmas. All the work is on schedule both the organ renovation by Bower & Co and the work in the organ chamber by Brown & Ralph. It is different in Lockdown 2 as planned maintenance work in churches can continue.Thank you to everyone who has given so generously – your thoughtfulness and kindness is greatly appreciated by Geoff and the PCC who says:‘Thank you everyone for your contributions to the organ fund and for the great sense of community and shared endeavour, even as we have been prevented from meeting together. The project has been such an encouragement and a sign of hope and commitment to the future as we look forward to the organ’s return and rededication’ - GeoffIncluding the VAT, the total we will pay Bower & Co is just over £30,000 when the work is completed and we will recover the VAT under the Listed Places of Worship Scheme early next year.So where has the money come from?•£11,500 has come from the three legacies held in the Church Enhancement Fund•37 donors (a couple is counted as one donor) who have given the balance•45 donations have been made as some people have given more than onceThe number of donors is so encouraging and through their thoughtfulness it helps them to be really involved with the organ project.It will be good next year when we can to have an Organ Recital to celebrate the return of the organ and the successful outcome of the Organ Appeal.Thank you so much.Best wishesPaulPaul FearonTreasurer