Conservation of the historic Willis organ in the Armidale Uniting Church moved towards its final stage last week with extensive cleaning and servicing being carried out.
The organ, built by Henry Willis and Sons, was imported from London in 1879 and installed in St Stephen’s Presbyterian Church, Phillips Street, Sydney. It was purchased and installed in Armidale Wesley Methodist Church, now the Uniting Church, in 1934 at the cost of 1,000 pounds and has given great pleasure and musical inspiration to the church and community since. In 1980 an appeal raised $20,000 to restore the instrument to its original condition.
Experts from Peter Jewkes Organ Builders, the Sydney based firm that regularly maintains the organ, have dismantled the complete structure to access all parts of the instrument. Rodney Ford and Soeren Tyroll methodically removed and cleaned all pipes and workings, some of which had not been accessed since its installation in the building in 1935.
The current conservation works are being undertaken with major funding from the NSW Government, the Armidale Uniting Church, the Armidale community and the New England Music Teachers Association.
Several ranks of pipes are currently being restored in London, and are expected back in Armidale for refitting shortly.
