Henry Willis & Sons

, examples of whose work can also be found in other countries. Four generations of the Willis family continued the family tradition of organ building until 1997 when Henry Willis 4 retired and the first non-family Managing Director (David Wyld) was appointed. On the 28th November 1998 the total shareholding of all of the Willis family members was acquired.

The charismatic founder of the company, the eponymous Henry Willis, was nicknamed "Father Willis" because of his contribution to the art and science of organ building, and to distinguish him from his younger relatives working in the firm.

He was a friend of Samuel Sebastian Wesley.

Willis's are regarded as the leading organ builders of the Victorian era, itself a time when both civic and religious commitment led to the erection of a large number of impressive buildings and other public works. During the Industrial Revolution any town worth its salt would want an imposing Town Hall, preferably with a Willis organ, and a substantial (and similarly equipped) church. Industrialists competed to endow the most lavish halls and instruments.

The result was a convergence of both a very fine and technically proficient organ builder, and a substantial number of commissions for really exceptional instruments. This heritage has, fortunately, lived on.

Notable Willis organs

The most famous "Father" Willis organs are probably those in the Royal Albert Hall, St Paul's, Salisbury and Truro Cathedrals, but there are many more including the cathedrals in Aberdeen, Calcutta, Canterbury, Durham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hereford, Lincoln, Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, Giggleswick School and the town church of Inverness, the Old High Church. Windsor Castle had a Willis until it was destroyed by a fire in November 1992, as do Blenheim Palace and several town halls (e.g. Reading), the Sheldonian Theatre and the Royal Academy of Music.

The famous organ in London's Alexandra Palace, built by Father Willis in 1875-6 and rebuilt by his grandson in 1929 following damage at the end of the First World War, was again damaged in 1944, has only partly been repaired and still awaits final restoration.

Although Willis are mostly remembered for organs on the grand scale they also built smaller instruments. The organ in the Priory Church in St Bees was built by the Willis firm, and recently renovated. It is an overly large instrument for the Church but was installed in relation to the public school across the road.

The parish church of St. Michael and All Angels in Great Torrington, Devon, also contains one of Father Willis's masterpieces. The organ dates from 1864 and was originally installed at Sherwell United Reform Church in Plymouth. It was rebuilt by Willis in 1923 and was later restored by Hele and Company of Plymouth in 1951. Due to structural alterations planned at Sherwell, the organ had to be removed, and in 1989 it was dismantled, relocated to Torrington and sympathetically restored by Lance Foy of Truro. This organ is one of the few to escape any tonal alteration from the instrument Henry Willis originally created, despite the various rebuilds and restoration work undertaken, and it is rightfully renowned as a glorious instrument.

Another example of Father Willis's masterpeices can be found at the Church of St. George the Martyr in Preston, Lancashire. It was described by Susi Jeans as "historically, one of the most important organs in Western Europe." [http://www.minsterorgan.co.uk Preston Minster and St. George's: Organs and Music] The organ is currently in a poor state of repair, albeit playable, and is seeking funding for its restoration.

External links

* [http://www.willis-organs.com Henry Willis & Sons]
* [http://www.martinstacey.com/St_Dominics_specification.htm 1883 Father Willis organ at St Dominic's Priory, London NW5]
* [http://www.minsterorgan.co.uk Preston Minster and St. George's: Organs and Music]

References