Lundy Island church organ 2000/2009

9 nears of damp and neglect takes its toll.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• lundy
• island
• organ
• church
• music
• duet
• st
• helena
• keyboard
• tune
• gb2ble
• organist
• chipsticks
• tuneless
• idiots

[goodchappy]

I am very sad to see this, my Dad played this organ in 1979 - 1981 when we went there for a few holidays. I also had a go. Was a nice little organ and I have recordings of it when it worked! I also played an old harmonium in there, not sure that is still there.

[mukatuna]

@goodchappy We where on Lundy again last week. The organ is now sadly totally silent, we couldn't get a single note out of it. The harmonium was removed a few years ago, not sure of it's fate. There is also a rather tacky 70s electronic Hammond organ in the church, which is almost totally shot as well. The climate on Lundy is unsuited to these types of instruments evidently. The good thing is though that the St. Helena's bells where re-hung in 1994, and they're still rung quite frequently.

[goodchappy]

@mukatuna 

[goodchappy]

I don't think it is just the climate, I think it has had little TLC for most of its life and if there was nobody to play it, they wouldn't have spent any money on it. Knowing what the weather can be like on Lundy, I wonder if water has got into it, that would certainly kill it. Needs a complete rebuild I think with its own roof! A lottery grant of £200k would be good :-) I also think it was sited in a rather embarrassing position, would have been better at the back of the church. Big shame.

[dedricmauriac]

Yep ... nears will do that to a piano.