HABITAT WURLITZER
It is now understood that although the Saturday morning cameo spots have been cancelled, there may be room for manoeuvre with the possibility of occasional functions in the future and the forthcomming recording of the organ should not be affected. Richard Hills has emphasised that it must not be mothballed and believes that visits out of hours to check and tune the organ should not be a problem. Let us therefore hope that this lovely old Wurlitzer will be kept alive for the foreseeable future.
July 08
HABITAT WURLITZER, REGENT STREET. LONDON
The Saturday morning Cameo spots featuring the famous Wurlitzer have been cancelled by Habitat Ltd.
There will be one last public performance featuring Richard Hills on Saturday 30th August at 11am
ADMISSION FREE
July 08
MIDLANDS & WALES DISTRICT CONVENTION 2009
Details of the Convention
Details of Dinner/Concert at The National Motorcycle Museum
July 08
SOUTHAMPTON GUILDHALL
Peter Hammond reports that he is organising a grand concert to relaunch this famous Compton when he has completed his refurbishment of the organ and it's two consoles. The concert will take place on October 19th and will feature Richard Hills and Carlo Curley, together with other soloists. It sounds like this will be an event not to miss. Peter says that "It will be a music extravaganza show the like of which has not been seen for many a year at the Guildhall, or indeed at most other places."
Further details and prices of tickets will be announced when available.
June 08
VICTORIA HALL WURLITZER. SALTAIRE.
Saturday the 5th. July will be a memorable day when the Wurlitzer console arrives in Saltaire . For the next 5/6 months it will be on display in the hall, prior to installation on its lift probably during November. During this period, the opportunity will be taken to refurbish the three keyboards. If you wish to see the console close up, it will be in The Harmonium and Reed Organ museum, with the kind permission of owner Phil Fluke.
Godfrey Nield
June 08
TROCADERO CINEMA, LONDON SE1
A plaque has been installed at Metro Central Heights on New Kent Road to commemorate the Trocadero and Odeon cinemas which formerly occupied part of the site. The plaque has been installed outside the convenience store at the base of Metro Central Heights.
The plaque, installed by the Cinema Theatre Association, was unveiled on Wednesday by comedy writer and TV presenter Denis Norden. Denis Norden worked at the Trocadero cinema as assistant manager for several months in 1940 and he delighted the crowd gathered for the unveiling with a series of anecdotes. The unveiling ceremony was also attended by Simon Hughes MP and Mayor of Southwark Cllr Eliza Mann. David Trevor-Jones, chairman of the Cinema Theatre Association, spoke about the key role played by cinemas as community centres during the middle of the 20th century. "What they are likely to remember is an experience of the building, not the film, and that's what the CTA is interested in, and that's why we've started to commemorate some of the most important parts of our lost cinema heritage with plaques. We hope that they will keep alive those community memories, perhaps sparking personal memories too, among passers-by who glance up and remember a family's relationship with the Trocadero here at the Elephant & Castle."
June 08
ORGAN POPS AND PIPES!
Sunday 17th August 2008 at 3pm.
The Buttermarket, Howard Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.
Top international organ & keyboard virtuoso's Chris Powell & John Barnett team up for a special one off concert featuring the Mighty Wurlitzer & the amazing new Roland AT-900c organ with a packed programme of favourites both individually and in duet.
Tickets £5 in advance available from CMP Promotions Ltd, 30 Long Lane, Coalville, Leics, LE67 4DZ
Tel: 01530 833758 or 01902 490967 for more information.
Not to be missed, get your tickets early.
COS NORTHERN DISTRICT
Secretary Godfrey Nield reports: "We are delighted to announce that the contract has been placed for the building work to form two organ chambers in The Victoria Hall, Saltaire. The work is scheduled to start on the 30th. June and be complete by the 15th. August 2008. We then start immediately to install the organ. As we are still some way from having the total funds to cover this work we are starting a National campaign during May, further details when available. In the meantime we are sure that all the friends of COS North will be delighted that there is now every chance the organ will be playing again by the end of 2008"
April 08
NORTHERN DISTRICT HIT THE NEWS-papers
Here are two links to local papers carrying articles about the COS Northern Wurlitzer:
http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk
Please note that these links may be removed by the copyright owner at any time.
THE SCARBOROUGH FAIR COLLECTION
The long-awaited news is announced that a new steam and organ museum is due to open its doors to the public this June. Based at the Flower of May Holiday Park at Lebberston, just south of Scarborough, “The Scarborough Fair Collection” is the brainchild of enthusiast - Graham Atkinson, who has built up one of the largest and finest collections of steam Showman’s Engines and Mechanical Organs in the UK.
Instruments by such famous names as Gavioli, Ruth, Marenghi, Decap and Mortier form only a part of the large collection to be seen on display. Several gleaming Showman’s Engines, including “The Iron Maiden”, regarded by many to be the world’s most famous traction engine and star of the 1960’s film of the same name is one of the major attractions at the purpose-built venue. At The Scarborough Fair Collection, it’s not the sight and sound of just one but TWO “Mighty” Wurlitzer organs that will be featured during open days and weekly Wednesday afternoon tea dances, played by ex North Pier & Tower Ballroom, Blackpool Organist – Kevin Grunill, now Resident Organist and General Manager of the new venture.
In addition to occasional theatre organ concerts and regular Sunday open days, weekly Wednesday afternoon tea dances will be a feature when the new venue opens in June. The Wednesday afternoon tea dances will cater for Ballroom, Sequence, Modern, Old-Time and Social dancers alike, or those who just simply wish to sit and listen to the music of these magnificent musical instruments. Not only can patrons dance the hours away, or enjoy the varied refreshments available but its visitors can enjoy the sight and sounds of the other exhibits in the collection, or even step back in time and take a ride on the vintage “Golden galloping Horses”.
Owner, Graham Atkinson anticipates that the collection will attract visitors from far and wide. “We’ve already had hundreds of enquiries from people asking when the new attraction is going to open and after several years of hard work by all those involved in this mammoth project, I’m pleased to be able to announce that the new complex will be open from Saturday 21st June”, Graham said.
To celebrate the official opening of the venue, two special events have been arranged to take place this June.
A Gala Opening Concert, featuring both Wurlitzer organs will take place on Saturday 21st June at 2.30pm (Doors open at 1pm). The concert will feature the new venue’s Resident Organist – Kevin Grunill, who will be joined by Andrew Nix and Nigel Odgen – presenter of BBC Radio 2’s “The Organist Entertains”.
Posted 3rd April 2008
THE FURNESS THEATRE ORGAN PROJECT
A group of friends with a shared passion for the theatre organ have come together to rescue and restore the ex Rex Cinema (Stratford) Wurlitzer organ before it is too late. There are currently no theatre organs left in Cumbria, and so the group hope that, once restored, a new chapter can begin for a theatre organ in the Lake District, at the Royalty Cinema, Bowness-on-Windermere.
Through the kind generosity of the group's founder members, the organ has been moved into safe storage and work has commenced on the painstaking restoration of the console. However, for the work to be completed and for the organ to once again entertain an audiance with its thrilling sounds, the group are looking for further support and more members, both to assist the project financially and to offer practical help. If you are interested, you can find contact details on the groups new website: at: www.furnesstheatreorgan.co.uk
Posted March 2008
TROCADERO NEWSFLASH
A lot of time has been expended by Society members in the search for a new home for the Society’s ex-Trocadero, Elephant & Castle Wurlitzer organ. The pipework alone needs a space equivalent to more than two double-decker buses, and finding an even remotely suitable building with such space to spare, and whose owners are interested in such a project, is not easy.
Nevertheless, we are pleased to advise members that, following numerous meetings and feasibility investigations, the Society has sent a letter of intent to the London Borough of Ealing to install the Trocadero Wurlitzer in the Victoria Hall, Ealing.
The Victoria Hall forms part of the Ealing Town Hall complex in West London and is centrally situated in Ealing, with good public transport links and local facilities. The hall – perhaps fortuitously – formerly housed a four-manual Gray & Davison organ which was removed in the 1950s. The Wurlitzer will fit into the space vacated by the previous organ at the back of the stage, and will speak directly into the hall itself. The hall is 73 feet long and 44 feet wide with a ceiling height approaching 40 feet, seats 506 people, is promising acoustically and has a sprung dance floor. Our view is this will be a very worthy yet accessible home for one of the country’s flagship theatre organs.
These are very early days, and whilst there is keen interest and support in Ealing Borough for the project, many details and plans need to be worked out before an agreement can be signed between the Society and the Borough and the project can commence. Much hinges around the Borough’s own plans for the hall and the area around it, which are currently under proposal and review. The Society is maintaining close links with the Borough during the process to give the project the best chance of success.
COS Members will, of course, be kept up to date on developments through the Newsletter, but it should be emphasised that no firm agreement yet exists and members are therefore kindly asked not to make any direct contact with the Borough of Ealing on this matter during the negotiation stage.
Due recognition and thanks should also be given to Ealing Civic Society, in particular Robert Gurd (Chairman) and COS member Mike Tiley, for their kind help, ongoing support and lobbying. Without them we would not even have got this far.
If you have any questions, please contact Mark Laflin, John Abson or Simon Gledhill. If you live in the area and feel able to offer practical support or help, please contact Southern district Secretary Mark.
Details from John Abson (Trocadero Project Technical Manager)
Posted March 2008
SOUTHAMPTON GUILDHALL COMPTON TO BE RESTORED
Peter Hammond of HWS Associates LLP, have been chosen to restore the wonderful dual purpose Compton organ at Southampton Guildhall.
Peter says. "This can probably be regarded as Compton's magnum opus instrument and has two magnificent consoles with some 40 units of pipes plus percussions and melotone. It has three 32ft stops - Diaphone, Posaune and Polytone bourdon - numerous mixtures, lovely reeds, excellent fluework and just about every stop that Compton ever produced."
The organ had been taken out of use recently as it has been declining in condition for a number of years and had become unreliable, largely due to a lack of maintenance and infrequent playing.
The management have now decided to have it restored and whilst they are not able to fund a full refurbishment of the instrument, such as complete re-leathering etc., they do seem committed to having the organ back on good form and to using and maintaining it.
The work will involve a great deal of cleaning, adjusting, freeing of moving parts, some rewiring, some re-leathering, general maintenance and suchlike, together with the refurbishment of both consoles, revival of the Melotone, tuning throughout and generally getting all aspects of the organ up and running properly. All of the original electrical equipment and actions will be retained and there are no plans to multiplex at this time.
Peter hopes to follow up the work by organising a full-scale concert featuring both consoles to really show off the organ's full capabilities.
2nd March
