Brightling

St Thomas à Becket, Brightling (East Sussex)

Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches

Barrel organ. Label inside windchest: ‘W.A.A. NICHOLLS Son-in-law and successor to the late Mr G.P. England, Organ Builder, No. 9 Stephen St. Tottenham Ct. Rd. London’. Given by the local squire, John Fuller MP (1757-1834) in c.1820 to replace previous barrel organ. Fuller presented the male choir members with white smocks, buckskin breeches and yellow stockings and the females with red cloaks to be worn on the day the organ was first played and afterwards. Fuller is said to have previously provided the choir with nine bassoons. The organ is located in the west gallery, is operated from the rear and blown by pedal. The castellated case has five panels of gold painted pipes backed with cloth. Restored by Harrison & Harrison in 1960 & 1964, and by Stuart Dobbs and Dominic Gwynn in 1999: https://www.goetzegwynn.co.uk/organ/brightling-church-in-sussex-restoration-of-the-ca1820-nicholls-barrel-organ/ [There are no links to recordings of this organ.]

References: Country Life (15 Aug. 1903), p.192, (25 Jun 1943), p.1153 & (21 Dec. 1951), p.2109; Nottingham Journal (5 Aug. 1913), p.2; MacDermott (1922); Sussex Agricultural Express (1 Nov. 1929), p.12; Hastings and St Leonards Observer (4 Feb. 1933), p. 2; West Sussex Gazette (9 Feb. 1933), p.5; Wenlock (1955); Boston & Langwill (1967); Holman (2000); NPOR, N15468.

BARREL 1

Tune

Metre

1.1

Hanover

1.2

Double chant: Mornington

1.3

Windsor Chapel

1.4

Unknown

1.5

Bristol

1.6

Gainsborough

1.7

Falcon Street

1.8

Abingdon

1.9

Double chant: Dupuis

1.10

Montgomery

1.11

Froome

1.12

Old 100th

1.13

[Hanover - unplayable]

BARREL 2

Tune

Metre

2.1

Mount Ephraim

2.2

New York

2.3

Portugal New

2.4

St George

2.5

Irish

2.6

New Sabbath

2.7

Oxford New

2.8

Islington

2.9

Easter Hymn

2.10

Carey’s

2.11

Burford

2.12

St Anne

2.13

[Mount Ephraim - unplayable]

Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches

St Thomas à Becket, Brightling (East Sussex)

Barrel organ. Label inside windchest: ‘W.A.A. NICHOLLS Son-in-law and successor to the late Mr G.P. England, Organ Builder, No. 9 Stephen St. Tottenham Ct. Rd. London’. Given by the local squire, John Fuller MP (1757-1834) in c.1820 to replace previous barrel organ. Fuller presented the male choir members with white smocks, buckskin breeches and yellow stockings and the females with red cloaks to be worn on the day the organ was first played and afterwards. Fuller is said to have previously provided the choir with nine bassoons. The organ is located in the west gallery, is operated from the rear and blown by pedal. The castellated case has five panels of gold painted pipes backed with cloth. Restored by Harrison & Harrison in 1960 & 1964, and by Stuart Dobbs and Dominic Gwynn in 1999: https://www.goetzegwynn.co.uk/organ/brightling-church-in-sussex- restoration-of-the-ca1820-nicholls-barrel-organ/ [There are no links to recordings of this organ.]

BARREL 1

Tune

Metre

1.1

Hanover

1.2

Double chant: Mornington

1.3

Windsor Chapel

1.4

Unknown

1.5

Bristol

1.6

Gainsborough

1.7

Falcon Street

1.8

Abingdon

1.9

Double chant: Dupuis

1.10

Montgomery

1.11

Froome

1.12

Old 100th

1.13

[Hanover - unplayable]

BARREL 2

Tune

Metre

2.1

Mount Ephraim

2.2

New York

2.3

Portugal New

2.4

St George

2.5

Irish

2.6

New Sabbath

2.7

Oxford New

2.8

Islington

2.9

Easter Hymn

2.10

Carey’s

2.11

Burford

2.12

St Anne

2.13

[Mount Ephraim - unplayable]