All Saints' Parish Church , Hertford

The organ

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The firm of Henry Willis and Sons built the organ of All Saints. Born in 1821, Henry Willis was in business on his own account by 1845, securing contracts in Gloucester Cathedral (1847) and Tewkesbury Abbey (1848). From this basis Willis grew his business rapidly and provided instruments for many churches, cathedrals and town halls. He was an ingenious inventor and his instruments marked a new departure in terms of scale, mechanical complexity and tonal ambition.

The All Saints' organ was completed in 1899 and cost the grand sum of £1240, including carriage. Willis died in 1901, making All Saints one of the last instruments he built. The casework was installed, along with a new pedal stop, in 1913. The organ was hand-blown until 1923 when an electric blower was installed. In 1971 the firm of Arnold, Williamson & Hyatt of Thaxted, overhauled the organ. A total of sixteen new stops were added, mostly in line with proposals Willis made, completing the choruses of Great and Swell, adding mutations to the Choir and enhancing the Pedal.

Between November 2000 and April 2001 the Village Workshop restored the organ. The work was in three parts; the complete overhaul of all the leatherwork (most dated from 1899); enhancements to the action and piston control systems; the addition of new stops: a Fanfare Trumpet, Great Clarion (as Willis intended) and 32' Reed (installed in October 2001). All the new pipe-work has been specially made to match the Willis originals.

This work has only been possible due to the generosity of many people in giving time, money and talents and we thank them all. The Bishop of Hertford dedicated a book listing the sponsors on Sunday June 24th 2001.

The full specification can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register at R00207. The 1971 specification is stored at N13066 and the original, including 'prepared for' stops such as the Pedal Ophicleide (1971) and Great Clarion (2001) at N14556.

More photographs can be found here.