© Maggie Kilbey 2024
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Kent
Aylesford :
Joseph Walker barrel organ installed 1837.
Ref:
St James Chronicle
(7 Apr. 1838) p.3;
Maidstone Telegraph
(16 Dec. 1865) p.3
*Barham :
Barrel organ installed 1834.
Ref: BL Add. Ms. 47775A; Ashton Oxenden,
The History of my Life
(London, 1891), pp. 49-51; MacDermott (1948) p.68
Bearsted :
Thomas Goodwin barrel organ installed 1848.
Ref:
South Eastern Gazette
(5 Dec. 1848) p.5
Beckenham :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Stephen Richard Glynne,
Notes on the Churches of Kent
(London, 1877)
p.271
Biddenden :
Robson barrel organ. Sold 1881.
Ref:
Musical Times
(1 Dec. 1881) p. 615
Bobbing :
Joseph Walker barrel organ transferred from
Milton Regis
1862. Converted to finger organ 1870.
Ref: NPOR, D05722
*Borden :
Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ installed 1838. Transferred to
Tunstall
c.1910.
Boxley :
Joseph Walker barrel organ installed 1838.
Ref:
St James Chronicle
(7 Apr. 1838) p.3
*Bredgar :
Barrel organ. See
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6C3eplMb98
Ref: Boston (1959) p.113
Bromley
(Holy Trinity)
:
Gray & Davison improved barrel organ installed 1844. Sold 1881.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1844) p.203
Canterbury :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald
(23 Oct. 1915) p.2
*Chart Sutton :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Kent History and Library Centre p83/28/7 Letter from
South Eastern Gazette
(1892)
Chevening :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Glynne, Kent (1877) p.302
Cowden :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
English Mechanic & World of Science
(26 Feb. 1875)
Cuxton :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
http://www.cuxtonandhalling.org.uk/cuxton.htm
[accessed 12 October 2023]
Darenth :
Barrel organ. Sold 1864.
Ref:
London Evening Standard
(19 Jan. 1864) p.1
Detling :
Thomas Goodwin barrel organ installed 1847.
Ref:
South Eastern Gazette
(28 Dec. 1847) p.5
Downe :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.273
Eastchurch :
Bevington barrel organ.
Ref: Bevington (2022) p.403
East Farleigh :
Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ installed 1838.
Ref:
St James Chronicle
(7 Apr. 1838) p.3
East Peckham :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Tonbridge Free Press
(28 Feb. 1936) p.9
Eastwell :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Kentish Express
(28 Sept. 1901) p.5
Erith :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877)
Farnborough (Kent) :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p. 303
Frittenden :
Gray & Davison barrel & finger organ installed 1847. Sold 1861.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Shop Book 3 (1847) p.10
Great Chart :
Forster & Andrews barrel & finger organ installed 1854.
Ref:
Kentish Gazette
(29 Aug. 1854) p.3; Glynne (1877) p.69; Elvin (1976) p.26
Harbledown :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Kentish Express
(25 Oct. 1940) p.3
*Harty :
T.C. Bates & Son barrel organ. No barrels.
Headcorn :
Barrel organ.
Ref: NPOR, N14790
Herne :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877) pp.29-30
Hoo :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Church Bells
(6 Mar. 1875), p.162; (13 Mar. 1875), p.175
Kennington :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Kentish Express
(14 Dec. 1901) p.5
Leigh :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.152;
Kent & Sussex Courier
(28 Mar. 1930) p.7 & (19 Feb. 1965) p.13
Loose :
Bevington & Sons barrel organ installed c.1840. Sold 1868.
Ref: Bevington & Sons (c.1841);
Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser
(3 Feb. 1868) p.1
Lympne :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Dover Express
(18 May 1877) p.3;
Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald
(29 Oct. 1932) p.8
Lynsted :
Joseph Walker barrel organ installed 1842. Converted to finger organ 1863.
Ref: NPOR, D02996
Marden :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p. 86
*Meopham :
T.C. Bates barrel organ installed 1855. Transferred to
Trottiscliffe
1865.
Ref:
Musical Times
(1 Jan. 1864) p.196
Mersham :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.58
Milton (Kent) :
Barrel organ installed 1829. Converted to finger organ 1887.
Ref:
Discover Gravesham
http://www.discovergravesham.co.uk/gravesend/milton-church.html
[accessed 15 Oct. 2023]
Milton Regis :
Joseph Walker barrel organ installed 1845. Transferred to
Bobbing
1862.
Ref: NPOR, D05722
Molash :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Kentish Express
(30 Nov. 1895) p.6
Newchurch :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Kentish Express
(4 Mar. 1871) p.7
New Romney :
Flight & Robson barrel organ installed 1825.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.64;
Kentish Express
(26 May 1933) p.5;
Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald
(4 Mar. 1939) p.9
Norton :
Bevington barrel organ.
Ref: Bevington & Sons (1847);
Faversham Times and Mercury and North-East Kent Journal
(18 Dec. 1915) p.6
*Pembury :
J.W. Walker dumb organist transferred from
Botley
(Hants.) 1858.
Ref:
Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser
(30 Jun. 1950) p.7 & (21 Sep. 1962), p.9
Penshurst :
Barrel & finger organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.282
Rainham :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
St James Chronicle
(9 Jan. 1840) p.1;
Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser
(14 Jan. 1840) p.4;
The Satirist
(2 Feb. 1840) p.35
Ringwould :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.100;
Studies in Modern Kentish History
(Maidstone 1983)
River :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Dover Express
(24 May 1901) p.2
Sandhurst :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.220
Sheldwich :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Faversham News
(22 Jul. 1899), p. 2
*Shoreham :
G.M. Holdich barrel & finger organ installed 1848.
Ref:
Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser
(2 May 1930) p.2
*Shorne :
Barrel organ installed 1817.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.313
Snodland :
Barrel organ installed 1824.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.295; Andrew Ashbee,
A Little History of Snodland
www.snodlandhistory.org.uk/localhis/churches.htm
[accessed
15 October 2023]
Staplehurst :
Barrel & finger organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.89
Stone :
John Gray barrel organ installed 1833. Converted to finger organ 1862.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 1 (1833) p.105
Sundridge :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.347
*Swalecliffe :
Bevington & Sons barrel organ. Transferred to Aldro School chapel.
Teynham :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.178
*Tonge :
Bevington & Son barrel organ. Transferred to the Mechanical Music Museum, Cotton (Suffolk).
Now in
The Grange Musical Collection
.
Ref:
Berks and Bucks Advertiser
(20 Jul. 1928) p.7;
Framlingham Weekly News
(13 Jun. 1931) p. 3
Trottiscliffe :
See
Surviving instruments
Tunstall :
Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ transferred from
Borden
c.1910. Transferred to The Netherlands 1994.
Ref: NPOR, D03971
Upchurch
: Barrel organ.
Ref:
East Kent Gazette
(28 Jul. 1888) p.5
Waldershare :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Kentish Express
(6 Dec. 1924) p.5
Wateringbury :
Bevington barrel organ installed c.1840.
Ref: Bevington & Sons (c.1841);
Bromley Journal and West Kent Herald
(20 Mar. 1896) p.7;
Kentish Express
(2 Jan. 1959) p.6
West Farleigh :
Ref: ‘All Saints Church’,
The Farleighs
http://www.thefarleighs.co.uk/all_saints_church.html
[accessed 15 October 2023]
West Peckham :
Gray & Davison improved barrel organ installed 1842.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1842) p.151
*Willesborough :
William Goldfinch barrel organ installed 1817. Converted to finger organ 1850.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.73; MacDermott (1948) p.68
Wrotham :
Bevington & Sons barrel organ installed c.1845.
Ref: Bevington & Sons (1847);
Brockley News, New Cross & Hatcham Review
(8 June 1928), p.2
Wye :
Gray & Davison barrel & finger organ installed 1843.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1843) p.220
*
Listed in
Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston,
Church and Chamber Barrel Organs
, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970)
pp.81-2
© Maggie Kilbey 2024
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Kent
Aylesford :
Joseph Walker barrel organ installed 1837.
Ref:
St James Chronicle
(7 Apr. 1838) p.3;
Maidstone Telegraph
(16 Dec. 1865) p.3
*Barham :
Barrel organ installed 1834.
Ref: BL Add. Ms. 47775A; Ashton Oxenden,
The History of my
Life
(London, 1891), pp. 49-51; MacDermott (1948) p.68
Bearsted :
Thomas Goodwin barrel organ installed 1848.
Ref:
South Eastern Gazette
(5 Dec. 1848) p.5
Beckenham :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Stephen Richard Glynne,
Notes on the Churches of Kent
(London, 1877)
p.271
Biddenden :
Robson barrel organ. Sold 1881.
Ref:
Musical Times
(1 Dec. 1881) p. 615
Bobbing :
Joseph Walker barrel organ transferred from
Milton Regis
1862. Converted to finger organ 1870.
Ref: NPOR, D05722
*Borden :
Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ installed
1838. Transferred to
Tunstall
c.1910.
Boxley :
Joseph Walker barrel organ installed 1838.
Ref:
St James Chronicle
(7 Apr. 1838) p.3
*Bredgar :
Barrel organ. See
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6C3eplMb98
Ref: Boston (1959) p.113
Bromley
(Holy Trinity)
:
Gray & Davison improved barrel
organ installed 1844. Sold 1881.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1844) p.203
Canterbury :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald
(23 Oct. 1915) p.2
*Chart Sutton :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Kent History and Library
Centre p83/28/7 Letter from
South Eastern Gazette
(1892)
Chevening :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Glynne, Kent (1877) p.302
Cowden :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
English Mechanic & World of Science
(26 Feb. 1875)
Cuxton :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
http://www.cuxtonandhalling.org.uk/cuxton.htm
[accessed 12 October 2023]
Darenth :
Barrel organ. Sold 1864.
Ref:
London Evening Standard
(19 Jan. 1864) p.1
Detling :
Thomas Goodwin barrel organ installed 1847.
Ref:
South Eastern Gazette
(28 Dec. 1847) p.5
Downe :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Glynne (1877) p.273
Eastchurch :
Bevington barrel organ.
Ref: Bevington (2022) p.403
East Farleigh :
Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ installed
1838. Ref:
St James Chronicle
(7 Apr. 1838) p.3
East Peckham :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Tonbridge Free Press
(28 Feb. 1936) p.9
Eastwell :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Kentish Express
(28 Sept. 1901) p.5
Erith :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Glynne (1877)
Farnborough (Kent) :
Barrel organ.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p. 303
Frittenden :
Gray & Davison barrel & finger organ installed
1847. Sold 1861.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Shop Book 3 (1847) p.10
Great Chart :
Forster & Andrews barrel & finger organ
installed 1854. Ref:
Kentish Gazette
(29 Aug. 1854) p.3; Glynne
(1877) p.69; Elvin (1976) p.26
Harbledown :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Kentish Express
(25 Oct. 1940) p.3
*Harty :
T.C. Bates & Son barrel organ. No barrels.
Headcorn :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
NPOR, N14790
Herne :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Glynne (1877) pp.29-30
Hoo :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Church Bells
(6 Mar. 1875), p.162; (13 Mar. 1875), p.175
Kennington :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Kentish Express
(14 Dec. 1901) p.5
Leigh :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Glynne (1877) p.152;
Kent & Sussex
Courier
(28 Mar. 1930) p.7 & (19 Feb. 1965) p.13
Loose :
Bevington & Sons barrel organ installed c.1840. Sold
1868. Ref: Bevington & Sons (c.1841);
Maidstone Journal and
Kentish Advertiser
(3 Feb. 1868) p.1
Lympne :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Dover Express
(18 May 1877) p.3;
Folkestone, Hythe,
Sandgate & Cheriton Herald
(29 Oct. 1932) p.8
Lynsted :
Joseph Walker barrel organ installed 1842.
Converted to finger organ 1863. Ref: NPOR, D02996
Marden :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Glynne (1877) p. 86
*Meopham :
T.C. Bates barrel organ installed 1855.
Transferred to
Trottiscliffe
1865.
Ref:
Musical Times
(1 Jan. 1864) p.196
Mersham :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Glynne (1877) p.58
Milton (Kent) :
Barrel organ installed 1829. Converted to
finger organ 1887. Ref:
Discover Gravesham
http://www.discovergravesham.co.uk/gravesend/milton-
church.html
[accessed 15 Oct. 2023]
Milton Regis :
Joseph Walker barrel organ installed 1845.
Transferred to
Bobbing
1862. Ref: NPOR, D05722
Molash :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Kentish Express
(30 Nov. 1895) p.6
Newchurch :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Kentish Express
(4 Mar. 1871) p.7
New Romney :
Flight & Robson barrel organ installed 1825.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.64;
Kentish Express
(26 May 1933) p.5;
Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald
(4 Mar. 1939)
p.9
Norton :
Bevington barrel organ.
Ref: Bevington & Sons (1847);
Faversham Times and Mercury
and North-East Kent Journal
(18 Dec. 1915) p.6
*Pembury :
J.W. Walker dumb organist transferred from
Botley
(Hants.) 1858.
Ref:
Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish
Advertiser
(30 Jun. 1950) p.7 & (21 Sep. 1962), p.9
Penshurst :
Barrel & finger organ.
Ref:
Glynne (1877) p.282
Rainham :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
St James Chronicle
(9 Jan. 1840)
p.1;
Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser
(14 Jan. 1840)
p.4;
The Satirist
(2 Feb. 1840) p.35
Ringwould :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Glynne (1877) p.100;
Studies
in Modern Kentish History
(Maidstone 1983)
River :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Dover Express
(24 May 1901) p.2
Sandhurst :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Glynne (1877) p.220
Sheldwich :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Faversham News
(22 Jul. 1899), p. 2
*Shoreham :
G.M. Holdich barrel & finger organ installed
1848. Ref:
Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser
(2 May
1930) p.2
*Shorne :
Barrel organ installed 1817.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.313
Snodland :
Barrel organ installed 1824.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.295; Andrew Ashbee,
A Little History of
Snodland
www.snodlandhistory.org.uk/localhis/churches.htm
[accessed 15 October 2023]
Staplehurst :
Barrel & finger organ.
Ref:
Glynne (1877) p.89
Stone :
John Gray barrel organ installed 1833. Converted to
finger organ 1862.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 1 (1833) p.105
Sundridge :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Glynne (1877) p.347
*Swalecliffe :
Bevington & Sons barrel organ. Transferred to
Aldro School chapel.
Teynham :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Glynne (1877) p.178
*Tonge :
Bevington & Son barrel organ. Transferred to the
Mechanical Music Museum, Cotton (Suffolk).
Now in
The Grange Musical Collection
.
Ref:
Berks and Bucks Advertiser
(20 Jul. 1928) p.7;
Framlingham
Weekly News
(13 Jun. 1931) p. 3
Trottiscliffe :
See
Surviving instruments
Tunstall :
Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ transferred
from
Borden
c.1910. Transferred to The Netherlands 1994.
Ref: NPOR, D03971
Upchurch
: Barrel organ.
Ref:
East Kent Gazette
(28 Jul. 1888) p.5
Waldershare :
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Kentish Express
(6 Dec. 1924) p.5
Wateringbury :
Bevington barrel organ installed c.1840.
Ref: Bevington & Sons (c.1841);
Bromley Journal and West Kent
Herald
(20 Mar. 1896) p.7;
Kentish Express
(2 Jan. 1959) p.6
West Farleigh :
Barrel organ.
Ref: ‘All Saints Church’,
The Farleighs
http://www.thefarleighs.co.uk/all_saints_church.html
[accessed 15 October 2023]
West Peckham :
Gray & Davison improved barrel organ
installed 1842.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1842) p.151
*Willesborough :
William Goldfinch barrel organ installed
1817. Converted to finger organ 1850.
Ref: Glynne (1877) p.73; MacDermott (1948) p.68
Wrotham :
Bevington & Sons barrel organ installed c.1845.
Ref: Bevington & Sons (1847);
Brockley News, New Cross &
Hatcham Review
(8 June 1928), p.2
Wye :
Gray & Davison barrel & finger organ installed 1843.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1843) p.220
*
Listed in
Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston,
Church and Chamber
Barrel Organs
, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970)
pp.81-2
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