The Methodist Chapel Organ
Written by Colin Ashworth following a visit to Northants Records Office on 20th Feb 2013
These photographs are © Kenneth Spencer and I am grateful that he allowed me to place them here. The organ was sucessfully re-homed and it can be heard on a video which is to be found on my video page.
The specification of the organ can be found on this page on the NPOR site. |
Northamptonshire Records Office holds a number of original documents from the Coates Methodist Chapel and, amongst these, are some details about the organ. They are:
I visited the office on 20th Feb 2013 and looked at the letters first. They are from the organ builder S. E. Gilks, The Organ Works, Stanground, Peterborough and also give (presumably) his home address in Newark Avenue, Peterborough.
Clearly there will have been many more letters concerning the organ between the church and Mr. Gilks but these are the only ones which appear to have survived. The NPOR site suggests that the organ cost £600 which tallies with the evidence. I would think that £600 in 1956 was a considerable sum as £2000 would have bought a house back then.
- Reference PMC 648: Organ fund minutes and accounts, 1951-57
- Reference PMC 649/1-4: Letters re purchase of organ, 1956-7
I visited the office on 20th Feb 2013 and looked at the letters first. They are from the organ builder S. E. Gilks, The Organ Works, Stanground, Peterborough and also give (presumably) his home address in Newark Avenue, Peterborough.
- Mr. Gilks wrote to W. Eason Esq. of South Green Coates on 3rd Feb 1956 saying that he is glad they are pleased with the organ and that he will make any adjustments as required and will send the bill for transport soon. This same letter is also a receipt (with a stamp, as receipts used to be) for the cheque of £400.
- The next letter is dated 20th Feb 1956 and is the bill for carriage of £9 15s 0d and for a console light fitting, bulb and cable: £1 5s 0d.
- On 15th January 1957 Mr. Gilks wrote a letter of thanks for the payments of a further £100 and he wrote again on the 23rd May 1957 to acknowledge the final payment of £100.
Clearly there will have been many more letters concerning the organ between the church and Mr. Gilks but these are the only ones which appear to have survived. The NPOR site suggests that the organ cost £600 which tallies with the evidence. I would think that £600 in 1956 was a considerable sum as £2000 would have bought a house back then.
The book of Organ Fund Minutes is an interesting social document which mentions the names of many people involved in raising funds for the organ. In the front of the book are the accounts; page one is dated 29th August 1951 to 4th September 1951 by which time some £5 had been raised. Between 1951 and 1956 (remember that this was not long after the War) money was raised in ways which included:
Funds grew steadily with amounts raised ranging from a few pennies to £12. By 1954, £170 had been accumulated. The records are neatly written in the later stages but they peter out for no reason that I can see.
The minutes are found in the back of the book and describe all the arrangements for the various events which were held. Names of those ‘on the door’ were listed as well as people who could be approached to be M.C. at some events. The Organ Fund was originally suggested by Rev J. E. Fisher on August 30th 1951. The original committee was Mr. C. King (Chairman), Mr. W. Eason (Treasurer), Miss J. Fletcher (Secretary), Mr. D. Fletcher, Mr. R. King, Mr. D. Eason and Miss R. Fletcher.
One of the main ways of raising money was through holding concerts and it is clear that these included sketches rehearsed and performed by the people of Coates. While the first Social event seems to have been on October 18th, (for which entry was Adults 1/- and Children 6d) the first concert was held on November 29th 1951 in the Public Hall. There was Ice Cream in the interval!
A further social was held on 24th January 1952 (adults only) and a meeting on April 25th of the committee notes that old items are to be replaced with new ones in the concerts. The Concert Party seems to have taken their show to other places such as Eastrea and Kings Dyke. There were also concerts in Coates by visiting groups and troupes such as the *Eastrea Players *check this fact.
On January 5th 1952 it was suggested that each concert party member should bring a friend. Moreover, to save £1 for the hire of the [Public] Hall the next party was to be held in Mr. Fletcher’s barn at The Fold. There were also plans to allow people to subscribe to the organ fund by making a monthly payment.
The Coronation in 1952 must have been a significant event for (Methodists of) the village but there was a small amount of money (£5 16s 2d) left over afterwards which found its way into the Organ Fund in November.
On May 18th 1953 the committee wanted to put on a pageant and, after much thought and head-scratching, Mrs. Eason suggested “The Seven Ages of Man” which was unanimously agreed upon.
On June 2nd Mr. J. Fletcher was awarded a prize for his decorated trailer (at the Coronation Pageant, I would think) and he donated the £2 to the Organ Fund.
On November 18th 1953 arrangements were made for more Carol Singing; this had proved popular over the years.
In 1954 some new people were approached join the committee (or was it the concert party? Note to self = take better notes). They were Mrs. Papworth, Martin Butt, Gillian Staton, Barbara Blunt, Bert Hill, Basil King, Ethel Kempston, Mavis Fletcher and Bert Tyres. Barbara Blunt was able to offer some solos at a concert (according to the minutes of October 13th) and Mrs B. Garner did likewise on November 16th.
The Organ was ‘opened’ on Saturday January 21st 1956. Mrs Dixon Spain was asked to unlock the organ and W. Stevens would play for one service whilst Mr. R. Hufford would be asked to play for the evening service. The programme was:
It was fascinating to read about the efforts of the fundraisers over the years. Committee meetings do not seem to have changed a great deal since the mid-20th century. Health and safety concerns will have changed! One stall/game at a bazaar was to light as many candles as possible with one match – would that pass muster in the 21st century?
The dates of the meetings I found were:
1951 30/8, 4/9, 10/9, 23/10
1952 7/1, 28/4, 7/8, 21/12
1953 5/1, 18/5, 2/6, 30/6, 21/9, 18/11
1954 22/2, 22/9, 29/9, 13/10
1955 6/1, 13/4, 11/8, 8/9, 28/9
1956 2/1, 6/9, 7,10
1957 13/2
It would have been all too easy for this small accounts book to have been thrown away. I have only given a taste of what it contains as the result of an hour or so of reading and note-taking. For the Family Historian it means one can discover what one’s ancestors were doing in their spare time, which people were considered to be influential, reliable or good organisers and so on.
As I have noted elsewhere, the Chapel was closed in 2012. The organ was sold some time before this to make room for other uses of the building (the layout was changed I believe). I imagine the organ got in the way of the youth club and their activities; I offer this as a suggestion not a criticism. It may also be that there was nobody available to play the organ whilst pianists may have been easier to come by.
- holding socials (both for adults and children as well as adults only)
- concerts in various places such as Coates Public Hall
- collections
- garden fetes
- bazaars
- personal donations
- carol singing
- competitions and the Sunday School Harvest festival collection
Funds grew steadily with amounts raised ranging from a few pennies to £12. By 1954, £170 had been accumulated. The records are neatly written in the later stages but they peter out for no reason that I can see.
The minutes are found in the back of the book and describe all the arrangements for the various events which were held. Names of those ‘on the door’ were listed as well as people who could be approached to be M.C. at some events. The Organ Fund was originally suggested by Rev J. E. Fisher on August 30th 1951. The original committee was Mr. C. King (Chairman), Mr. W. Eason (Treasurer), Miss J. Fletcher (Secretary), Mr. D. Fletcher, Mr. R. King, Mr. D. Eason and Miss R. Fletcher.
One of the main ways of raising money was through holding concerts and it is clear that these included sketches rehearsed and performed by the people of Coates. While the first Social event seems to have been on October 18th, (for which entry was Adults 1/- and Children 6d) the first concert was held on November 29th 1951 in the Public Hall. There was Ice Cream in the interval!
A further social was held on 24th January 1952 (adults only) and a meeting on April 25th of the committee notes that old items are to be replaced with new ones in the concerts. The Concert Party seems to have taken their show to other places such as Eastrea and Kings Dyke. There were also concerts in Coates by visiting groups and troupes such as the *Eastrea Players *check this fact.
On January 5th 1952 it was suggested that each concert party member should bring a friend. Moreover, to save £1 for the hire of the [Public] Hall the next party was to be held in Mr. Fletcher’s barn at The Fold. There were also plans to allow people to subscribe to the organ fund by making a monthly payment.
The Coronation in 1952 must have been a significant event for (Methodists of) the village but there was a small amount of money (£5 16s 2d) left over afterwards which found its way into the Organ Fund in November.
On May 18th 1953 the committee wanted to put on a pageant and, after much thought and head-scratching, Mrs. Eason suggested “The Seven Ages of Man” which was unanimously agreed upon.
On June 2nd Mr. J. Fletcher was awarded a prize for his decorated trailer (at the Coronation Pageant, I would think) and he donated the £2 to the Organ Fund.
On November 18th 1953 arrangements were made for more Carol Singing; this had proved popular over the years.
In 1954 some new people were approached join the committee (or was it the concert party? Note to self = take better notes). They were Mrs. Papworth, Martin Butt, Gillian Staton, Barbara Blunt, Bert Hill, Basil King, Ethel Kempston, Mavis Fletcher and Bert Tyres. Barbara Blunt was able to offer some solos at a concert (according to the minutes of October 13th) and Mrs B. Garner did likewise on November 16th.
The Organ was ‘opened’ on Saturday January 21st 1956. Mrs Dixon Spain was asked to unlock the organ and W. Stevens would play for one service whilst Mr. R. Hufford would be asked to play for the evening service. The programme was:
- Service 4.15
- Tea 5pm (a rushed affair?)
- Evening Service 6pm
It was fascinating to read about the efforts of the fundraisers over the years. Committee meetings do not seem to have changed a great deal since the mid-20th century. Health and safety concerns will have changed! One stall/game at a bazaar was to light as many candles as possible with one match – would that pass muster in the 21st century?
The dates of the meetings I found were:
1951 30/8, 4/9, 10/9, 23/10
1952 7/1, 28/4, 7/8, 21/12
1953 5/1, 18/5, 2/6, 30/6, 21/9, 18/11
1954 22/2, 22/9, 29/9, 13/10
1955 6/1, 13/4, 11/8, 8/9, 28/9
1956 2/1, 6/9, 7,10
1957 13/2
It would have been all too easy for this small accounts book to have been thrown away. I have only given a taste of what it contains as the result of an hour or so of reading and note-taking. For the Family Historian it means one can discover what one’s ancestors were doing in their spare time, which people were considered to be influential, reliable or good organisers and so on.
As I have noted elsewhere, the Chapel was closed in 2012. The organ was sold some time before this to make room for other uses of the building (the layout was changed I believe). I imagine the organ got in the way of the youth club and their activities; I offer this as a suggestion not a criticism. It may also be that there was nobody available to play the organ whilst pianists may have been easier to come by.