1826  --- 2026 

                                    200 Years Young                                                 

                    Music in Worship

We can only assume that in 1826 the congregation followed the practice of the Rock Street chapel. In the new one, as was normal in churches at the time, the musician(s), were in the gallery, with its bowed front and a flat area behind. The Deacons quickly spent £10 on the purchase of a double-bass from John Gough, a widely-known musical instrument maker who lived opposite the church, on the corner of Chapel Street and Rock Street.

By 1858 the church used a harmonium, followed in 1861 by an organ and then an American Organ, all in the gallery. The bellows of the organ provided by George Elliott in 1861 at his own expense blew up one Sunday owing to a faulty board. In the 1880's there was a demand for a more suitable instrument, but it was not until 1896 that they agreed to install a pipe organ. All members except one were happy with another American Organ for which they had raised £30, but George Whitfield wanted a pipe organ. After considerable debate about its position and raising the £213 needed, the current organ was installed in 1899. The photograph on the wall of the church shows it in its original position, the members having decided to move the pulpit forward in order to install it in the centre of the church. Seven years later they realised that this was very inconvenient for those in the gallery. In the event they decided it was better to move the organ than to rebuild the gallery, and in 1908 it was moved to its current position.

The dedication in 1899 took the form of a Service at 3.30pm , tea in the Schoolroom at 5 o'clock (Tickets 6d) and at 7 o'clock an Organ Recital for which the Chairman was E. Stafford Howard Esq. of Thornbury Castle. This included six organ voluntaries, five solos and an anthem, an address by Rev A. O. Moore, minister of the church- and a second Silver Collection for the Organ Fund.
Two brothers still living locally were employed as organ blowers until 1952, when the electric blower was installed. The salary had just gone up to £5 p.a., though one brother claims he was never paid!

                       Music books

Some nineteenth century collections of organ voluntaries and organ music remained in the church until about 10 years ago. One was from 1891 with a beautiful signature of Edgar Pitcher, who was organist from 1894-1930 and also Church Secretary. As well as an 1875 edition of “Hymns Ancient and Modern”, there was a book of “Supplemental Tunes” produced by the church in 1888- a forerunner of “Thornbury Praise” in use today.