 Hyson Green
St Stephen
Organ
The original organ came from St
Stephen’s Bunkers Hill, and was hand pumped. At a PCC Meeting in
February 1921 it was suggested that the church should obtain a new organ
as a memorial to the Great War. In July 1922 it
was decided to press ahead with the new organ provided that the cost did
not exceed £800-£900. The vicar approached Mr Lloyd, and
reported back to the PCC in October 1922 that the organ builder ‘thought
we ought to get a good organ for £800 and suggested that we looked
round at other places to get an idea as to the kind we required’. He
told the meeting that £400 was already in hand towards the organ. A
sub-committee was set up to discuss the question. In June 1924 it recommended
accepting an estimate from Messrs Brindley and Co, Sheffield, of £1,125
for restoring the current organ. By December 1925 £520 had been raised,
and the vicar complained that ‘there is at present a scheme before
us of an organ at £1,175 plus £65 for an electric blower from
Messrs Brindley and Foster, where, if we went in for this we would be £600
in debt’. He argued that it ought to be possible to get a new specification
for an organ at about £900. The PCC was also aware that an expert report ‘a
year ago’
had put the probable life of the church organ at two years, and ‘it was
thought that an effort really ought to be made to settle this business out
of fairness to the contributors to the fund.’ In April 1926 the organ
sub-committee recommended acceptance of an estimate from Messrs John Compton
of London, because ‘quite a number of stops in our present organ could
be revoiced, and used in the new one’. The new organ would have seventeen
stops, incorporating some of those from the existing organ, an electric blowing
apparatus, and an oak case, all for £830. The Vicar explained to the
PCC that the organ would be entirely new in appearance, and there would be
no structural alterations, so that it would not be necessary to pay for a faculty.
On 11 November 1926 the new organ was dedicated by the Rt Rev Bernard
Heywood, Bishop of Southwell. Unfortunately there was to be one final delay:
as the Nottingham Guardian reported,
‘owing to the organ being “lost” for over a week on the railway
while in transit from London, the work of erection - which is sufficiently
advanced for this evening’s ceremony, has been seriously delayed’.
Comptons’ total bill came to £818.
After the War the organ was overhauled, and in September 1947 it was rededicated
as a war memorial to the 1939-45 war by HC Heywood, Provost of Southwell.
Every house in the parish was circulated asking for the names and details of
anyone to be included, and for financial support towards the £500 of
repairs needed in the church.
 The
organ |
 The
War Memorial dedication panel on the organ |
The organ was cleaned and modified by JW Walker in 1964, and the necessary
funds were raised by 1966. Although still occasionally used for services the
organ has now been supplemented by electric keyboards.
| 
The
organ
The
War Memorial dedication panel on the organ
