|
Christ Church’s Historic Walker Organ
|
|
Part 4: The 2005-6 renovation
|
|
By 2000, the 1930 console (containing most of its original technology and wiring, and the now obsolete solid state system) was failing and
becoming very unreliable, with frequent emergency visits required to fix ciphers or other faults. All the 1930s wiring, connecting the
console on the south side of the chancel to the action on the north side, and to each individual pipe, needed replacing. Old leatherwork,
used as a flexible seal inside the instrument on all the soundboards, motors and wind reservoirs, was perishing and also needed replacing,
and this would mean stripping the organ down and rebuilding it again from scratch. Swell and Choir crescendo and drawstop mechanisms
also needed overhauling.
|
|
In September 2001 Walkers, at the invitation of the PCC, made an initial proposal for an overhaul and some improvements, and this was subsequently
updated several times following discussion and further inspections.
|
|
In January 2003, an Organ Appeal Committee was set up, and based on the information and prices available at that time, launched an appeal for
£150,000 (compared with the organ’s then replacement value of well over £550,000). Originally, it was hoped we might raise that sum in time for the
150th anniversary of Christ Church in May 2004. Letters were written to every household in the parish and to other potential donors, and
a wide range of concerts and other events was held, including a magic lantern show, an auction of gifts, a dinner and auction of promises,
a wine-tasting and stalls at the Esher May Fair and at Christmas. Parishioners and the congregation responded with great generosity,
and the fund had reached £50,000 by November 2003, £100,000 by September 2004, and £150,000 by October 2005.
|
|
By May 2005, the PCC felt confident enough to commission the work, and discussions began with Walkers on the exact specification of the work to be
carried out. As well as a complete overhaul and replacement of the leatherwork, it was eventually decided that we should renew all potentially
failing parts which could only be accessed while the organ was dismantled, to avoid having to dismantle it again for a long time to come. With
the increase in costs since the original estimate, this brought the total agreed expenditure to just over £187,000 including the hire of a replacement
instrument while the work was going on.
|
|