© Maggie Kilbey 2025
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Hampshire
Abbotts Ann (St Mary) : Barrel organ, replaced by John Gray barrel organ 1837. Old organ transferred to Loughton (Bucks.) 1838. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 1 (1837) p.140 Alton (St Lawrence) : H. Bryceson barrel organ installed 1829. Transferred to private collection 1867. Ref: Hampshire Telegraph (5 Jul. 1935) p.8 Avington (St Mary the Virgin) : See Surviving instruments *Basingstoke (St Michael) : Flight & Robson barrel organ installed 1820. Ref: NPOR, N11322 Binsted (Holy Cross) : Barrel organ. Sold 1865. Ref: Hampshire Chronicle (11 Mar. 1865) p.1 *Boldre (St John the Baptist) : T.S. Robson barrel organ. Sold 1855. Ref: W.F. Perkins, Boldre (1935) p.17; MacDermott (1948) p.68; Boston (1959) p.112 Botley (All Saints) : Joseph Walker dumb organist installed 1823. Transferred to Pembury (Kent) 1858. Ref: NPOR, N11337 Burghclere (The Ascension) : John Gray barrel organ installed 1838. Removed 1874. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 2 (1838) p.109 Buriton (St Mary the Virgin) : Barrel organ. Ref: Buriton Heritage buriton.org.uk/history/st-marys-church-and-the-methodist-chapel/ [accessed 18 Oct. 2023] Bursledon (St Leonard) : Barrel organ. Sold 1901. Ref: Hampshire Telegraph (3 Aug. 1901) p.1 Church Oakley (St Leonard) : Gray & Davison improved barrel organ installed 1843. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1843) p.217 *Crondall (All Saints) : Bevington barrel organ installed 1842. Ref: Bevington & Sons (1847) Curdridge (St Peter) : Barrel organ. Ref: Hampshire Advertiser (24 Jun. 1939) p. 13 East Boldre (St Paul) : J.W. Walker barrel & finger organ transferred from Pennington. Sold 1893. Ref: Hampshire Independent (11 Mar. 1893) p.3 East Woodhay (St Martin) : Barrel organ. Ref: Newbury Weekly News and General Advertiser (14 Sept. 1899) p.3 Eling (St Mary) : Gray & Davison improved barrel organ installed 1848. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1848) p.168 Farlington (St Andrew) : Barrel organ. Ref: Farlington Parish www.farlingtonparish.co.uk/st-andrews.html [accessed 18 Oct. 2023] Farnborough (Hants) (St Peter) : Barrel organ. Ref: St Peter’s Farnborough stpetersfarnborough.org.uk/Groups/271194/History.aspx [accessed 18 Oct. 2023] Fawley (All Saints) : Barrel organ. Ref: Mike Bailey, ‘Presenting west gallery music’, in C. Turner (ed.), Georgian Psalmody I. The Gallery Tradition (Corby Glen, 1997) p.95 Grateley (St Leonard) : Barrel organ. Ref: Tower Hamlets Independent and East End Local Advertiser (5 Dec. 1908) p.5 Harbridge (All Saints) : Barrel organ. Ref: A Selection of Psalms and Hymns, as set to the Organ of Harbridge Church (1855) Hartley Wintney (St John the Evangelist) : Gray & Davison improved barrel organ installed 1842. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 2 (1842) p.159 Overton (St Mary) : Barrel organ installed 1828. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 1 (1828) p.60 Pennington (St Mark) : J.W. Walker barrel & finger organ transferred to East Boldre. Ref: Hampshire Independent (11 Mar. 1893) p.3 Portswood (Christ Church) : Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ installed 1847. Converted to finger organ 1861. Ref: Ord-Hume (1978) p.87; Plumley (2023) Rockbourne (St Andrew) : Bevington & Sons barrel & finger organ installed 1851. Barrel mechanism removed. Ref: NPOR, T00458 Selborne (St Mary) : Barrel organ. Ref: Church Bells (6 Mar. 1875), p.162 & (13 Mar. 1875), p.175; Globe (18 May 1893) p.3 Southampton (Pear Tree) : Bevington & Son barrel organ. Sold 1867. Ref: Hampshire Advertiser (6 Jul. 1867) p.10 South Stoneham (St Mary) : See Surviving instruments Stratfield Saye (St Mary) : See Surviving instruments Twyford (St Mary) : Barrel organ. West Tytherley (St Peter) : See Surviving instruments *Wootton St Lawrence (St Lawrence) : Barrel organ. Barrel transferred to Willis Museum, Basingstoke. Ref: A.L. Flay, ‘Barrel-organs in churches’, Musical Opinion (Nov. 1969) *Yateley (St Peter) : Barrel organ installed 1836. Ref: Reading Mercury (15 May 1869) p.6; The Times (10 Jun. 1939); MacDermott (1948) p.68 * Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) p.78
Isle of Wight
*Bembridge (Holy Trinity) : Barrel organ replaced by barrel and finger organ 1857. *Newchurch (All Saints) : See Surviving instruments Shalfleet (St Michael) : Barrel organ installed 1837. Converted to finger organ. Ref: Hampshire Independent (6 May 1893) p.3; Isle of Wight County Press and South of England Reporter (16 Feb. 1895) p.5; Isle of Wight Observer (14 May 1904) p.5 *Ventnor (St Catherine) : Robson & Son barrel organ transferred to Spridlington (Lincs.) 1859. Ref: Laurence Elvin, Forster and Andrews: their Barrel, Chamber and Small Church Organs (Lincoln, 1976) p.28; Robert Pacey, Lincolnshire Church Organs (Burgh le Marsh, 2002) p.84 Whippingham (St Mildred) : Barrel organ. Isle of Wight Country Press and South of England Reporter (30 Jul. 1898) p.2 Yarmouth (St James) : Barrel organ. Isle of Wight Times (29 Nov. 1865) p.3; Hampshire Advertiser (16 Apr. 1870) p.8 * Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) p.81
© Maggie Kilbey 2025
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Hampshire
Abbotts Ann (St Mary) : Barrel organ, replaced by John Gray barrel organ 1837. Old organ transferred to Loughton (Bucks.) 1838. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 1 (1837) p.140 Alton (St Lawrence) : H. Bryceson barrel organ installed 1829. Transferred to private collection 1867. Ref: Hampshire Telegraph (5 Jul. 1935) p.8 Avington (St Mary the Virgin) : See Surviving instruments *Basingstoke (St Michael) : Flight & Robson barrel organ installed 1820. Ref: NPOR, N11322 Binsted (Holy Cross) : Barrel organ. Sold 1865. Ref: Hampshire Chronicle (11 Mar. 1865) p.1 *Boldre (St John the Baptist) : T.S. Robson barrel organ. Sold 1855. Ref: W.F. Perkins, Boldre (1935) p.17; MacDermott (1948) p.68; Boston (1959) p.112 Botley (All Saints) : Joseph Walker dumb organist installed 1823. Transferred to Pembury (Kent) 1858. Ref: NPOR, N11337 Burghclere (The Ascension) : John Gray barrel organ installed 1838. Removed 1874. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 2 (1838) p.109 Buriton (St Mary the Virgin) : Barrel organ. Ref: Buriton Heritage buriton.org.uk/history/st-marys-church-and-the-methodist- chapel/ [accessed 18 Oct. 2023] Bursledon (St Leonard) : Barrel organ. Sold 1901. Ref: Hampshire Telegraph (3 Aug. 1901) p.1 Church Oakley (St Leonard) : Gray & Davison improved barrel organ installed 1843. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1843) p.217 *Crondall (All Saints) : Bevington barrel organ installed 1842. Ref: Bevington & Sons (1847) Curdridge (St Peter) : Barrel organ. Ref: Hampshire Advertiser (24 Jun. 1939) p. 13 East Boldre (St Paul) : J.W. Walker barrel & finger organ transferred from Pennington. Sold 1893. Ref: Hampshire Independent (11 Mar. 1893) p.3 East Woodhay (St Martin) : Barrel organ. Ref: Newbury Weekly News and General Advertiser (14 Sept. 1899) p.3 Eling (St Mary) : Gray & Davison improved barrel organ installed 1848. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1848) p.168 Farlington (St Andrew) : Barrel organ. Ref: Farlington Parish www.farlingtonparish.co.uk/st-andrews.html [accessed 18 Oct. 2023] Farnborough (Hants) (St Peter) : Barrel organ. Ref: St Peter’s Farnborough stpetersfarnborough.org.uk/Groups/271194/History.aspx [accessed 18 Oct. 2023] Fawley (All Saints) : Barrel organ. Ref: Mike Bailey, ‘Presenting west gallery music’, in C. Turner (ed.), Georgian Psalmody I. The Gallery Tradition (Corby Glen, 1997) p.95 Grateley (St Leonard) : Barrel organ. Ref: Tower Hamlets Independent and East End Local Advertiser (5 Dec. 1908) p.5 Harbridge (All Saints) : Barrel organ. Ref: A Selection of Psalms and Hymns, as set to the Organ of Harbridge Church (1855) Hartley Wintney (St John the Evangelist) : Gray & Davison improved barrel organ installed 1842. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 2 (1842) p.159 Overton (St Mary) : Barrel organ installed 1828. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 1 (1828) p.60 Pennington (St Mark) : J.W. Walker barrel & finger organ transferred to East Boldre. Ref: Hampshire Independent (11 Mar. 1893) p.3 Portswood (Christ Church) : Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ installed 1847. Converted to finger organ 1861. Ref: Ord-Hume (1978) p.87; Plumley (2023) Rockbourne (St Andrew) : Bevington & Sons barrel & finger organ installed 1851. Barrel mechanism removed. Ref: NPOR, T00458 Selborne (St Mary) : Barrel organ. Ref: Church Bells (6 Mar. 1875), p.162 & (13 Mar. 1875), p.175; Globe (18 May 1893) p.3 Southampton (Pear Tree) : Bevington & Son barrel organ. Sold 1867. Ref: Hampshire Advertiser (6 Jul. 1867) p.10 South Stoneham (St Mary) : See Surviving instruments Stratfield Saye (St Mary) : See Surviving instruments Twyford (St Mary) : Barrel organ. West Tytherley (St Peter) : See Surviving instruments *Wootton St Lawrence (St Lawrence) : Barrel organ. Barrel transferred to Willis Museum, Basingstoke. Ref: A.L. Flay, ‘Barrel-organs in churches’, Musical Opinion (Nov. 1969) *Yateley (St Peter) : Barrel organ installed 1836. Ref: Reading Mercury (15 May 1869) p.6; The Times (10 Jun. 1939); MacDermott (1948) p.68 * Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) p.78
Isle of Wight
*Bembridge (Holy Trinity) : Barrel organ replaced by barrel and finger organ 1857. *Newchurch (All Saints) : See Surviving instruments Shalfleet (St Michael) : Barrel organ installed 1837. Converted to finger organ. Ref: Hampshire Independent (6 May 1893) p.3; Isle of Wight County Press and South of England Reporter (16 Feb. 1895) p.5; Isle of Wight Observer (14 May 1904) p.5 *Ventnor (St Catherine) : Robson & Son barrel organ transferred to Spridlington (Lincs.) 1859. Ref: Laurence Elvin, Forster and Andrews: their Barrel, Chamber and Small Church Organs (Lincoln, 1976) p.28; Robert Pacey, Lincolnshire Church Organs (Burgh le Marsh, 2002) p.84 Whippingham (St Mildred) : Barrel organ. Isle of Wight Country Press and South of England Reporter (30 Jul. 1898) p.2 Yarmouth (St James) : Barrel organ. Isle of Wight Times (29 Nov. 1865) p.3; Hampshire Advertiser (16 Apr. 1870) p.8 * Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) p.81