Forest Church organ to have woodworm treated
FOREST Church’s organ, thought to be nearly 100 years old, is to be given a £10,000 makeover after woodworm was found.
Experts will be in the island from Monday to tend to the instrument, which has accompanied services at the church since about 1927.
The problem with the woodworm was spotted by a tuner, and rector the Rev. Claire Claxton said the work had to wait until the specialists from the UK were able to come to the island.
Staff from Isle of Wight-based organ builders Andrew Cooper & Co are coming over and expect to take about 10 days to strip the organ down and deal with the woodworm problem.
The company tunes, repairs and restores organs throughout the south of England and the Channel Islands, but has also undertaken restoration projects in France and Gibraltar and will be heading to Lisbon next.
Mrs Claxton said the church wanted to get the work done before ‘wedding season’, since the organ will be out of action for a while – the service on Sunday 19 February will be accompanied by a piano.
The last time the organ had any major work carried out was in 1970 when it was converted to an electric action. Aside from the odd repair it has provided unbroken service ever since.
It was made by Hele & Company of Plymouth, which was also responsible for building the organs at the Town Church and Elizabeth College.
While the one at the Forest is considered relatively small, it has 594 pipes, ranging in length from 8ft to 1/4 of an inch.
Having been in place for so long, the organ has many stories attached to it, including one from during the Occupation when it was said that a German soldier asked to play it one evening after evensong.
The then-rector, the Rev. John Finey, gave him a hymn book and suggested he play the music he had chosen, which the soldier did – and he played the British National Anthem. It is not known if he realised what he had played.
The church is appealing for anyone who knows more of its history to get in touch via email at lmcc@cwgsy.net.
If anyone would like to donate towards the work, they can email church treasurer Richard Heaume at rheaume@suremail.gg.
