© Maggie Kilbey 2026
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Middlesex & London
Acton (Parish Church) : H. Bryceson barrel organ. Sold 1860. Ref: The Times (15 Feb. 1860) 14; Streatham News (16 Aug. 1918) 5 Cranford (St Dunstan) : Barrel organ. Ref: Country Life (15 Jul. 1965) 175 Edgware (St Margaret) : Barrel organ installed 1816. Converted to finger organ 1850. Ref: 'Edgware: Churches', in A History of the County of Middlesex: vol.4 (London, 1971) 163- 6, BHO www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol4/pp163-166 Friern Barnet : Holdich barrel organ. Ref: Stephen S. Stratton, 'Organs and Organists', College of Organists Lectures (London, 1885-6) 44 Fulham (Parish Church) : Barrel organ. Ref: Hampshire Advertiser (24 Mar. 1923) 7; Nottingham Journal (29 Jan. 1924) 4; Ord-Hume (1978) 33; James Boeringer, Organa Britannica, 2 (1986) 267; Kilbey (2019) Greenford (Holy Cross) : Barrel organ. Ref: Harrow Gazette (12 Feb. 1870) 1 Hayes (St Mary) : Elliot barrel & finger organ installed 1812. Ref: C.W. Pearce, Notes on English Organs of the Period 1800-1810 (London, 1912) 140 Hillingdon (St John the Baptist) : Barrel organ. Ref: Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette (3 Sep. 1937) 12
Paul's Wharf (London)
*Islington (St Barnabus) : Flight & Robson barrel organ installed 1830. 1835 transferred to Thorpe-le-Soken (Essex). Ref: Country Life (30 Sep. 1965) 829 Kingsbury (St Andrew) : Now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. Gray & Davison barrel & finger organ installed 1841. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 3 (1841) 163 Marylebone (St Marylebone) : J.C. Bishop barrel & finger organ installed 1823. Ref: Thistlethwaite (2001) *Paul's Wharf (St Benet) : Since 1879, Welsh Anglican. J.C. Bishop barrel & finger organ installed 1833. Ref: C.W. Pearce, Notes on Old London City Churches (London, 1907) 175-7 Perivale (St Mary) : Barrel organ. Ref: J. Allen Brown, The Chronicles of Greenford Perva, or Perivale, Past and Present (London) 121-43; Middlesex & Surrey Express (9 Aug. 1899) 2; Acton Gazette (11 Aug. 1899) 3; Bristol Times and Mirror (23 Mar. 1907) 9; st-marys-perivale.org.uk/histgalintdrawings.htm Pinner (St John the Baptist) : Barrel organ. Ref: Ben Brierley's Journal (15 Jun. 1889) 11 *South Mimms (St Giles) : Barrel organ installed 1813. Converted to finger organ. Ref: Barnet Press (22 Jun. 1889) 8; S. Baring-Gould, Old Country Life (1899) 93; ‘South Mimms: Churches’, in A History of the County of Middlesex: vol.5 (London, 1976) 298-301, BHO www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol5/pp298-301 Stanmore (St John the Evangelist) : Barrel organ transferred to Bovingdon (Herts) 1853. Ref: Musical World (1852) 373; Kilbey (2020) *Uxbridge Moor (St John) : Barrel organ. Whetstone (St John) : Barrel organ. Ref: Stratton, 'Organs and Organists', 44 Willesden (St Mary) : John Watlen barrel organ installed 1810. Ref: Evening Mail (25 Sep. 1811) 1; Kilburn Times (6 Apr. 1906) 5 * Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) 85
Paul’s Wharf
Photo: M. Kilbey
© Maggie Kilbey 2026
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Middlesex & London
Acton (Parish Church) : H. Bryceson barrel organ. Sold 1860. Ref: The Times (15 Feb. 1860) p.14; Streatham News (16 Aug. 1918) 5 Cranford (St Dunstan) : Barrel organ. Ref: Country Life (15 Jul. 1965) 175 Edgware (St Margaret) : Barrel organ installed 1816. Converted to finger organ 1850. Ref: 'Edgware: Churches', in A History of the County of Middlesex: vol.4 (London, 1971) 163-6, BHO www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol4/pp163-166 Friern Barnet : Holdich barrel organ. Ref: Stephen S. Stratton, 'Organs and Organists', College of Organists Lectures (London, 1885-6) 44 Fulham (Parish Church) : Barrel organ. Ref: Hampshire Advertiser (24 Mar. 1923) 7; Nottingham Journal (29 Jan. 1924) 4; Ord-Hume (1978) 33; James Boeringer, Organa Britannica, 2 (1986) 267; Kilbey (2019) Greenford (Holy Cross) : Barrel organ. Ref: Harrow Gazette (12 Feb. 1870) 1 Hayes (St Mary) : Elliot barrel & finger organ installed 1812. Ref: C.W. Pearce, Notes on English Organs of the Period 1800- 1810 (London, 1912) 140 Hillingdon (St John the Baptist) : Barrel organ. Ref: Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette (3 Sep. 1937) 12 *Islington (St Barnabus) : Flight & Robson barrel organ installed 1830. 1835 transferred to Thorpe-le-Soken (Essex). Ref: Country Life (30 Sep. 1965) 829 Kingsbury (St Andrew) : Now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. Gray & Davison barrel & finger organ installed 1841. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 3 (1841) 163 Marylebone (St Marylebone) : J.C. Bishop barrel & finger organ installed 1823. Ref: Thistlethwaite (2001) *Paul's Wharf (St Benet) : Since 1879, Welsh Anglican. J.C. Bishop barrel & finger organ installed 1833. Ref: C.W. Pearce, Notes on Old London City Churches (London, 1907) 175-7 Perivale (St Mary) : Barrel organ. Ref: J. Allen Brown, The Chronicles of Greenford Perva, or Perivale, Past and Present (London) 121-43; Middlesex & Surrey Express (9 Aug. 1899) 2; Acton Gazette (11 Aug. 1899) 3; Bristol Times and Mirror (23 Mar. 1907) 9 st-marys-perivale.org.uk/histgalintdrawings.htm Pinner (St John the Baptist) : Barrel organ. Ref: Ben Brierley's Journal (15 Jun. 1889) 11 *South Mimms (St Giles) : Barrel organ installed 1813. Converted to finger organ. Ref: Barnet Press (22 Jun. 1889) 8; S. Baring-Gould, Old Country Life (1899) 93; ‘South Mimms: Churches’, in A History of the County of Middlesex: vol.5 (London, 1976) 298-301, BHO http://www.british- history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol5/pp298-301 Stanmore (St John the Evangelist) : Barrel organ transferred to Bovingdon (Herts) 1853. Ref: Musical World (1852) 373; Kilbey (2020) *Uxbridge Moor (St John) : Barrel organ. Whetstone (St John) : Barrel organ. Ref: Stratton, 'Organs and Organists', 44 Willesden (St Mary) : John Watlen barrel organ installed 1810. Ref: Evening Mail (25 Sep. 1811) 1; Kilburn Times (6 Apr. 1906) 5 * Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) 85
Paul's Wharf (London) Paul’s Wharf
Photo: M. Kilbey