I recently received an enquiry, in my capacity of Archivist
and Editor for the Musical Box Society of Great Britain,
an extract from which I include here. If anyone knows the
current location of the organ, would they please get in touch?
(Put 'barrel organ' in the subject title of any emails.)


'Holy Trinity Church, Bosbury, Herefordshire is currently
restoring its pipe organ, which was installed in 1871.

Prior to that the church had a barrel organ, Bates No. 2578.
This was installed in 1844 and there is an account of its
inauguration in the Hereford Times for 1st June 1844.

In 1984 Mr. Lyn Wright acquired this organ, which apparently
had been disposed-of to All Saints' Church in Hereford, then
given to Hereford City Museum, then disposed-of by them.

It was subsequently acquired by Lyn in a rather roundabout way.
See his letter dated 5th December 1984 published in Music Box
magazine Volume 12, No. 1, page 29.

Shortly after Lyn had restored the instrument, it was actually
exhibited back in Bosbury church, in June 1984. See Letters
Volume 20 No. 5 page 200. At that time Lyn was given some
paperwork relating to the organ. I would guess this paperwork
referred not only to the barrel organ itself but also to the
1871 'finger' instrument.

The next (and last to date) trace of the instrument is in the
Summer 2002 edition of Music Box magazine, Volume 20 No. 6
page 202, where it was advertised for sale in the Classifieds.

In connection with the ongoing restoration (and associated
publicity brochure) of the main organ it would be interesting
to know where the Bates instrument is today. Also whether the
paperwork given to Lyn still exists as this may have relevance
to the current 1871 organ restoration project. We have recently
discovered some interesting anomalies regarding the main organ
and information from the 1890s may be crucial in answering vital
questions (as the 'finger' instrument was extensively modified
at that time).

I'd stress that Bosbury are not looking to repossess either
the instrument or the paperwork. Simple details of its current
whereabouts would be interesting (County would do as regards
location). Scans of the paperwork, if surviving, would,
I suspect, be of very great interest to us.'


I have copies of the 'paperwork' in the MBSGB archive, but no info
regarding the fingering. Any further information about this instrument
would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Alison Biden, MBSGB
ali_biden@hotmail.com.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]