The Cinema Organ Society
GO BACK
The Thursford Collection
item15
item14
item5
item3
item4
item6
item24
item12
item7
item11
item13
item8
item9
item18
item19
item17
item10

ThursfordJLThe Thursford Museum / Collection is situated at Thursford, near Fakenham in Norfolk, England. It houses a magnificent collection of steam showman's and traction engines, steam rollers and static engines, fairground and dance hall organs and a Gondola switchback. It also includes a 2' narrow gauge steam railway and a mighty Wurlitzer theatre organ.
 
The Wurlitzer came from the Paramount, a 3500 seat cinema in Leeds where it was installed in 1932. It is made to be one of the main attractions in the museum with live concerts every afternoon in the summertime months with the resident organist, Robert Wolfe, at the console.
The organ was opened at the Thursford Collection by Arnold Loxam in 1976.  One of two 'Balaban 4' models exported to Europe by Wurlitzer (the other being for the Paramount Newcastle, later installed at Turner's Musical Merry-go-round, Northampton).  One of only a handful of instruments equipped with the unusual 'Modernistic' style of console by Wurlitzer - sometimes called the 'waterfall console'! 
It is completely original, and is played daily during the summer by Robert Wolfe.

item23
© J. Leeming
UK organs