© Maggie Kilbey & Marcel Glover 2024
St Mary, Wissington (Suffolk)
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Improved barrel organ no. 32 by John Gray, London. Purchased by subscription in 1840 for £71
from Gray & Davison, but the organ was built before 1838, when Frederick Davison became a
partner in the firm.
The organ stands at the west end of the church and is operated from the rear.
Rebuilt in 1984 by Roger Pulham. Tunes recorded in 1994.
Three barrels x 10 tunes in a frame – a pointer at the side of the organ indicates which tune is
in the playing position. The third barrel has been repapered and repinned with single and
double chants, perhaps when the organ was overhauled in 1883.
References: Phillips, (1918); MacDermott (1948); Boston (1959); Boston & Langwill (1967); Turner (1997); Turner (2002); NPOR, N00896.
BARREL 1
Tune
Metre
1.1
LM
1.2
CM
1.3
CM
1.4
CM
1.5
SM
1.6
CM
1.7
CM
1.8
SM
1.9
CM
1.10
LM
BARREL 2
Tune
Metre
2.1
LM
2.2
LM
2.3
LM
2.4
2.5
CM
2.6
CM
2.7
CM
2.8
CM
2.9
LM
2.10
87.87.47.
BARREL 3
Tune
Metre
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
76.76.
3.8
77.77.D
3.9
87.D
3.10
CM