This precious musical instrument was manufactured by the esteemed firm of Henry Willis & Sons Ltd. This particular organ was built under the direction of Henry Willis II, who was the son of the founder Henry Willis (also known as ‘Father’ Willis).
It is installed in the church of St. Anne’s Aigburth, South Liverpool, and has a unique original blower plant (winding system), which is the only surviving example in the world.
This makes the organ of international importance, and this original 1913 blower organ plant will be fully dismantled, repaired and reinstated to replace the inferior modern apparatus as part of the total restoration.
Besides its traditional role in church services and accompanying congregations, the organ now features in a highly popular new series of concerts started last year to reach out to the wider community.
Liverpool’s unparalleled music heritage is recognised as a ‘UNESCO City of Music’ and restoration of the St. Anne’s Willis organ will add to its reputation through this restoration and extended community repertoire, for present and future generations.
These events have showcased the organ’s versatility and tonal resources far beyond the religious context. It literally plays a ‘key role’ accompanying silent film nights, tea dances, plus a wide-ranging programme accompanying visiting musicians, orchestras and choirs.
The St Anne’s Church Organ Restoration Campaign wants to promote the organ’s untapped potential as the focus of a music educational engagement project.
Support is actively being sought from Merseyside schools, colleges, institutions, the University of Liverpool, Liverpool Hope University and Liverpool John Moores University.
This ambitious and exciting project has already started with the organ playing an essential part in the St Anne’s Church and St Margaret’s School Organ Scholarship, one of only a few such initiatives in an English state school.
The scholarship is backed by the Royal College of Organists (RCO), to create a new young generation of organ scholars, helping to save the world-renowned British organ and choral tradition from extinction.
The first two St Anne’s Church and St Margaret’s School Organ Scholars are in their second and final year thanks to generous grants from two local charitable trusts, creating a practical demonstration of the organ’s value as a teaching tool.
Organ Details
The unique and historic St Anne’s organ is the world’s only surviving example with its original 1913 electric blowing plant apparatus with bellows operated by a crankshaft generating a very steady and stable wind pressure for the pipes.
The organ was built in 1913 by the leading Victorian organ builders Messrs Henry Willis & Sons for £1,660, to the highest standards and using the best materials.
Disaster struck eight months after installation when Suffragettes staged an arson attack on the church. Severe water and smoke damage meant the organ had to be removed for major repair. A purpose-built organ chamber was created in 1915 where it remains.
In 1917 the organ casework was donated by the Brocklebank family, the famous Liverpool ship owners, in memory of their son killed in the First World War. This case was designed to perfectly match the chancel’s panelling and continues to add to the church’s elegant ambience.
The organ accompanied the wedding of Nobel Prize-winning physicist James Chadwick (who discovered the neutron) and his bride Aileen Stewart-Brown at the church in August 1925.
The organ has remained almost untouched since 1917 and runs on its original parts. While still playable, it is now living on borrowed time which is why St Anne’s Church Organ Restoration Campaign is taking action now.
With over 100 years of service in St. Anne’s, such a highly complex mechanical instrument with numerous moving parts needs a major restoration and deep cleansing to rectify serious wear and tear, including perished leather work and frail pipes.
The campaign’s goal is to restore this wonderful organ back to its 1913 glory. This includes the reinstatement of the original blowing plant apparatus and the completion of its specification to not only restore but also increase its tonal and musical abilities.
The fundraising will be split into phases to focus on restoring specific parts of the organ in a logical progression. Phase 1 will concentrate fundraising to restore the unique original 1913 electric blowing plant apparatus.
Once restoration is complete this unique Willis organ will be an instrument of national and international importance.
Organ Scholarship
The St Anne’s Church and St Margaret’s School Organ Scholarship embodies the passionate belief held by many leading music philanthropists, such as Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, that music ‘can empower and liberate’ and ‘nurture talent’ in children and young people.
The Northern Director of the Royal College of Organists (RCO), Tom Bell visited St Anne’s and gave the scholarship his support. This is a tremendous accolade for such a newly launched two-year course.
This is being generously funded by two local charities: the first year by the Marjorie Green Charitable Trust; and the second year by Margaret Wethered Charitable Trust. Both these trusts were set up by those individuals to support music projects for young people and we are privileged to benefit from their legacies.
The first two teenage organ scholars, Samuel Deng and Daniel Wall, are highly talented pianists and the scholarship was deliberately created to take unmissable advantage of St Anne’s Church being adjacent to their school, St Margaret’s Church of England Academy, and the enthusiastic support of its Director of Music Caroline Smith.
It is already apparent that teaching these young people, guided by their tutor Daniel Mansfield, to play the organ is giving a ‘huge return on investment’, as predicted by Lord Lloyd Webber, which, if funds are available, will continue as a long-term scholarship.
Restoration Fundraising and Goals
The St Anne’s Church Organ Restoration Campaign aims to raise £500,000 to restore and complete the instrument, preserving it for future generations of the entire community to enjoy, whether these are worshippers of any faith, musicians, concert goers, choirs, and the general public. Once done, it will be an outstanding instrument of national and international importance.
The campaign has gained huge momentum thanks to our successful concert series which welcomes musicians from around the city and country to perform on the organ. These concerts featuring the organ in many musically coloured contexts have captured the imagination and support of the local community and from further afield.
If you would like to donate to the organ restoration project, then please access our just giving link: justgiving.com/fundraising/
For further details please contact St Anne’s Church organist Joseph Wakefield: friendsofsaorgan@
Specification of organ: NPOR | N08581