Samuel Green Organ

click 2021 Event for the Samuel Green Organ for Tea & Music at Lane Farm

Hallmark October 1985. Letters to the Editor

Dear Sir,

As a young member of St. John's I am very saddened to hear of the possibility of the disposal of the Parish's heirloom in the form of the Samuel Green organ, in favour of a modern electronic organ.

I wonder how many parishioners realise the valuable asset in their midst – the 200. year old ‘Samuel Green! is said to be one of the few remaining in the country, and is documented in Wilson's book on Chamber: Organs.

I attended, recently, the recital in July of the Allen computerised organ and it was obvious to all that, clever as this modern instrument is, it does not have the mellow tone of the 'Samuel Green’.

It would be of great interest to know how much research has been carried out to explore the possibilities of obtaining advice and assistance in preserving this wonderful old organ – perhaps parishioners will be informed of this before a decision is made, for my part, I have made enquiries – and obtained names and addresses of professionals willing to give such help. (This information has been forwarded to a member of the PCC).

I feel strongly that any decisions concerning the future of part of the Parish’s heritage should involve all interested parishioners,

Does our PCC have no soul?

Yours faithfully,

Fiona Putman

Hillside, Loosley Row

Interest Note. Below is a reprint from 'Hallmark! Nov/Dec 1980. This was a – reprint from 'The Musical Times! 1905.

"Where is it? On the Chiltern Hills is a little village named, Lacey Green In its Parish Church is the said organ, and moreover practically in the same condition as when it came from the factory of Samuel Green, London in 1792, the date recorded on the instrument. The organ could not have been built for Lacey Green church, because the ecclesiastical parish was not formed nor the church erected until 1825, except the addition of the pedals - which only pull down the manual keys (there are no pedal pipes) - and the placing of all the drawstones on the right-handed side of the keyboard, this Green organ has not been modernised, but stands today as an interesting specimen of the craftsmanship of an eminent 18th century organ-builder, it's tone is musical not only in regard to individual stops, but in their various combinations, the blending being most satisfactory, while the full organ is by no means provocative of headache. Can all this be said of many modern organs? The open diaspon is free from assertiveness, and the stopped diapson speaks with just that touch of wheeziness which lends additional charm to its tone. After the overblown organs of the present day, it is quite refreshing to let one's fingers wander over the keys of this old instrument - one that is in perfect harmony with the quietude of that Buckinghamshire village."

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Hallmark May 2021. The Samuel Green Pipe Organ. excerpt from the Report by Tony Bundock

On 13th April of this year, the Parochial Church Council of the Parish Church of St. John the Evangelist, Lacey Green, Loosley Row and Speen, took the momentous decision to proceed with a long-anticipated project to restore and repair our historic Samuel Green pipe organ. This project recently received Faculty permission from the Chancellor of the Diocese of Oxford and there is considerable interest in it from connoisseurs of Church organs.

The pipe organ at St. John’s Church is older than the Church itself (which first opened in 1825). In fact, the organ is a 1792 example of the work of the well-known 18th Century organ builder Samuel Green. He was also responsible for the construction of a number of pipe organs including the 1783 organ in High Wycombe Parish Church, the 1787 organ (almost identical to the Lacey Green organ) at St. Mary’s Edith Weston in Rutland, and the 1790 organ in St. George’s Chapel Windsor.

The intent is to restore the organ in such a way as to enable it to fulfil its role for many years to come.

Although the organ was originally built for use in a drawing room, it was modified on a low budget basis by Kingsgate Davidson in 1951 to make it (as then perceived) more suitable for its role in leading worship in a church considerably larger than a drawing room. These changes were left clearly discernible and reversible.

The organ has for some years been suffering continuing deterioration with ongoing faults no longer possible to rectify during modest maintenance visits. Continued tuning of the instrument has been gradually proving harder with the accumulation of dirt, increasing number of loose slides and damaged pipework.

So it has been agreed that the time has finally arrived to take more comprehensive action to save the instrument and ensure its continued use for the future as a valued asset to the Church.

The plan is to restore all historical aspects of the organ, as far as is practically possible, within the confines of the Church’s desire that the instrument should retain the Kingsgate Davidson addition of Pedals and an independent Bourdon rank, which undoubtedly make the use of the instrument more practical in continuing to fulfil the Church’s needs.

The intention then, is to preserve the historical nature of the instrument restoring it as much as possible to the original specification yet leaving it more able to fulfil its role within the church building.

We are therefore very pleased that our proposals, which have the full support of eminent organ advisors, achieve the appropriate balance between restoration and repair that we have been seeking, and have the requisite official approval of the Diocese of Oxford.

The scale of the work required will require the organ to be temporarily removed to the organ builder’s workshop at Farnham in Surrey and the work involved will take some time to complete.

The cost of the project is £26,400 plus VAT. However, St. John’s Church is a Listed Building and the work therefore qualifies for reimbursement of VAT under the Government’s Listed Places of Worship VAT Grant Scheme which is due to end on 31st March 2022.

At the time of writing, we have currently raised £20,000 towards the cost of the proposed works with other fund-raising initiatives in place. Mindful that the work will take some time to carry out but needs to be completed before this VAT deadline next spring, the PCC have taken the view that we should move forward with the project now; in faith that the additional funds that are still needed will have been raised by the time all the work that is required has been completed.

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St. John’s Church and the Samuel Green Organ. Researched by Rosemary Mortham

The church of St. John the Evangelist was built between May 1823 and May 1825 as a Chapel of Ease attached to the Parish Church of St. Mary's, Princes Risborough. The polygonal chancel was added in 1871.  It was designed by the architect responsible for the Vicarage, and is said to have been commissioned by the vicar at the time.

The Samuel Green organ was previously in the Vicarage. Rumour has it that before that time it was in Hampden House, but this has not been verified. During the incumbency of The Reverend Burgess, who served at Lacey Green from 1848 to 1880, and to whom the East window is dedicated, the church acquired the Samuel Green Organ. Records tell us that it was presented by Miss Burgess, who had owned it, and played it in the Vicarage (now Lacey House) drawing room.

In 1861, it is recorded as having been located in the West Gallery (now the Upper Room), where we believe it was played by the donor.  It was later moved and placed further forward than it is today. There was then only one row of choir pews in front of it, and the choir vestry was behind. The fireplace of this small room can still be seen to the right of the organ in its present position in the alcove on the north side of the chancel Boys from the village used to manually pump it when the organist, Miss Nancy Hawes, who was also a teacher at the local Church of England School, waved her handkerchief. One of her pupils, Harold Williams, became organist after her, and continued playing for many years.

History of the organ

The organ is a 1792 example of the work of the well know 18^th century organ builder, Samuel Green, who was also responsible for the 1783 organ in High Wycombe Parish Church, and the 1790 organ in the Chapel Royal, Windsor. The instrument is a “drawer” chamber organ intended originally for a drawing room. It is in largely original condition, and is considered to be historically important.

An, electric blower was added in 1937.  In 1951, the organ was subject to_ alterations, some of which are now considered regrettable. The work was ‘carried out by Kingsgate Davidson. The Dulciana 8' stop was removed from the main chest and placed in a small second hand swell box on electric action, with an octave extension, so as to increase the versatility and range of the instrument. At the same time, a pedal board, a coupler, a second hand Gamba 8‘ and 16’ bourdon pipe were added. It is probable that it was also at that time that the metal pipes (previously cone tuned), were cut down, and fitted with tuning slides. A kick down swell pedal was added to the right of the pedal board.

The current pitch of the organ is flat to modern standard by half a semi tone, i.e. A = 425.4. Green's pitch was generally slightly flatter at about A = 423.

A brass plaque on the organ testifies that this work was done in memory of Harold Edward Carter, who once owned Grymsdyke (the “big house") in, Lacey Green.

in 1992, the bicentenary of the organ was celebrated with a dramatic and musical pageant, performed by the choir and members of the congregation, and written by the incumbent’s wife, Mrs Elizabeth Hale. A major fund raising effort is currently underway to restore the organ to its former glory, and it is proposed to perform this pageant again to celebrate completion of the work.

Samuel Green

What is known of Samuel Green's life comes from the writings of the Rev. Andrew Freeman in the 1940s.

Samuel was born in 1740. it seems likely that he was apprenticed to the younger Byfield, who took him into partnership about 1769.  Byfield probably retired in 1772, Green then went into business for himself, in Red Lion Street in Holborn. He later moved to lslington.

His first success was at St. Katherine’s by the Tower, in London. From there, he went on to several important contracts, including Canterbury, Wells and Salisbury Cathedrals, and the Chapel Royal at Windsor. Unfortunately, the latter organ was destroyed in the recent Fire. Organs were becoming very popular at this time. The first book of church hymns was produced, and the Wesley brothers wrote many stirring examples.

Green became the favoured organ builder of King George III, who had a great interest in organs. His organs were renowned for their sweetness of tone. His parlour organs, like the one at Lacey Green were particularly highly regarded, and were said to “fill the room with a warm silvery quality".

Green died in 1796. Apparently his business sense had not been as great as his genius in building organs. A writer said of him, “A man so eminent in his profession, at his death was not able to leave a slender provision for his family". His widow and two daughters, Sarah and Elizabeth, survived on a pension from the King.

Specification of Organ

The organ comprises of the following:-

Drawstop Mechanism, currently all pulling to the right:-

Open Diapason                                 Flute                     Fifteenth Stopped Diapason bass                  Principal bass     Sesquialtera bass

Stopped Diapason treble               Principal treble         " "      treble

Dulciana

Pipes. Green used e high tin content in his metal pipes, and the wooden pipes are of pine with oak caps.

Mechanical key action

Soundboard

Bellowswork

Manual Keys. These were originally on a drawer, which could be closed when not in use.

Pedalboard. A curved pedal board has been fitted, but originally it would not have had a pedal board.

Console

Casework. Largely original, with flame mahogany front panel.

Display Pipes. There are 23 dummy display pipes, which have been painted gold, but would originally have been water gilded.

Blowing Plant