© Maggie Kilbey 2025
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Surrey
Abinger Common
(St James)
:
J.W. Walker barrel organ installed 1856.
Ref:
St James’ Church, Abinger Common
www.stjameschurchabinger.org/organs/
[accessed 6 Jan. 2025]
Barnes
(St Mary)
:
Bevingon & Sons barrel organ installed c.1840.
Ref: Bevington & Sons (c.1841);
Richmond Herald
(22 Dec. 1900) p.11; (17 Sep. 1932) p.30
*Beddington
(St Mary the Virgin)
:
John Watlen barrel organ installed 1811.
Ref:
Evening Mail
(25 Sep. 1811) p.1
Blindley Heath
(St John the Evangelist)
:
Barrel organ. Sold 1866.
Ref:
London Evening Standard
(18 Aug. 1866) p.7
*Chaldon
(St Peter & St Paul)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Surrey Mirror
(11 Jul. 1913) p.5
Clapham
(St Paul)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Lakes Herald
(12 Jun. 1908) p.7;
Worthing Herald
(11 June 1954) p.11
Coulsdon
(St John the Evangelist)
:
Barrel organ. Replaced by Gray & Davison barrel organ installed 1843.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 2 (1843) p.160
East Clandon
(St Thomas of Canterbury)
:
Barrel organ. Ref:
West Surrey Times
(18 May 1888) p.3
Elstead
(St James)
:
T.C. Bates barrel organ. Transferred to private collection.
Ref:
Surrey Advertiser
(4 June 1966) p.12; Freddy Hill correspondence
Epsom Common
(Christ Church)
:
Barrel organ. Ref:
Sutton & Epsom Advertiser
(9 Mar. 1939) p.9
Godalming
(St Peter & St Paul)
:
John Watlen barrel organ on loan from Freddy Hill.
Ref:
NPOR, E00516
*Great Bookham
(St Nicholas)
:
J.W. Walker dumb organist purchased 1856. Ref: Plumley (2023)
Haslemere
(St Bartholomew)
:
Lewis & Co. barrel organ installed 1839.
Ref:
NPOR, N13746
*Hersham
(Holy Trinity)
:
Flight & Son improved barrel organ installed 1845.
Leatherhead
(St Mary & St Nicholas)
:
Barrel organ installed 1830. Converted to finger organ 1841.
Ref:
Friends of Leatherhead Parish Church
www.parishchurch.leatherheadweb.org.uk/history/1750.html
[accessed 16 Oct. 2023]
Long Ditton
(St James)
:
Barrel organ. Sold 1875.
Ref: Edward Wedlake Brayley,
A Topographical History of Surrey
, 3
(Dorking, 1841) p.138;
Surrey Comet
(17 Apr. 1875) p.5
Merton (Surrey)
(St Mary)
:
Barrel organ. Sold 1866.
Ref:
Clerkenwell News
(18 Jan. 1866) p.1
Mickleham
(St Michael)
:
Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ installed 1842.
Ref: Edward Wedlake Brayley,
A Topographical History of Surrey
, 4 (Dorking, 1841) p.246
*Morden
(St Lawrence)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Suffolk and Essex Free Press
(14 Jul. 1920) p.6
*Petersham
(St Peter)
:
J.C. Bishop barrel organ installed 1838. Ref:
Richmond and Twickenham Times
(16 Dec. 1899) p.14
Purley
(St Mary)
:
Barrel organ. Ref:
Reading Standard
(9 Feb. 1945) p.3
Reigate
(St Mary Magdalene)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
NPOR, K01425
*Sanderstead
(All Saints)
:
John Watlen barrel organ installed 1811.
Ref:
Evening Mail
(25 Sep. 1811) p.1
*Shere
(St James)
:
Barrel organ.
Streatham Hill
(Christ Church)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
NPOR, E00634
Tandridge
(St Peter)
:
H. Bryceson barrel organ. Ref:
www.achurchnearyou.com/church/741/page/1387/view/
[accessed 6 Jan. 2025]
Tatsfield
(St Mary)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Surrey Mirror
(18 Oct. 1907) p.3;
Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser
(16 Jan. 1948) p.4 & (18 Jun. 1948) p.5
Titsey
(Parish Church)
:
Flight & Robson barrel & finger organ removed to East Greenwich vicarage when church rebuilt 1860.
Ref: Nicholas Plumley, 'Two Flight & Robson barrel organs',
JBIOS
, 1 (1977) pp.101-113
Warlingham
(All Saints)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Croydon Chronicle and East Surrey Advertiser
(19 Feb. 1910) p.9
Worplesdon
(St Mary)
:
Gray & Davison improved barrel organ installed 1844.
Ref:
BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1844) p.254
* Listed in
Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston,
Church and Chamber Barrel Organs
, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970)
pp.94-5
© Maggie Kilbey 2025
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Surrey
Abinger Common
(St James)
:
J.W. Walker barrel organ
installed 1856. Ref:
St James’ Church, Abinger Common
www.stjameschurchabinger.org/organs/
[accessed 6 Jan.
2025]
Barnes
(St Mary)
:
Bevingon & Sons barrel organ installed
c.1840. Ref: Bevington & Sons (c.1841);
Richmond Herald
(22
Dec. 1900) p.11; (17 Sep. 1932) p.30
*Beddington
(St Mary the Virgin)
:
John Watlen barrel organ
installed 1811. Ref:
Evening Mail
(25 Sep. 1811) p.1
Blindley Heath
(St John the Evangelist)
:
Barrel organ. Sold
1866. Ref:
London Evening Standard
(18 Aug. 1866) p.7
*Chaldon
(St Peter & St Paul)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Surrey Mirror
(11 Jul. 1913) p.5
Clapham
(St Paul)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Lakes Herald
(12 Jun.
1908) p.7;
Worthing Herald
(11 June 1954) p.11
Coulsdon
(St John the Evangelist)
:
Barrel organ. Replaced by
Gray & Davison barrel organ installed 1843.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 2 (1843) p.160
East Clandon
(St Thomas of Canterbury)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
West Surrey Times
(18 May 1888) p.3
Elstead
(St James)
:
T.C. Bates barrel organ. Transferred to
private collection. Ref:
Surrey Advertiser
(4 June 1966) p.12;
Freddy Hill correspondence
Epsom Common
(Christ Church)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Sutton & Epsom Advertiser
(9 Mar. 1939) p.9
Godalming
(St Peter & St Paul)
:
John Watlen barrel organ on
loan from Freddy Hill. Ref: NPOR, E00516
*Great Bookham
(St Nicholas)
:
J.W. Walker dumb organist
purchased 1856. Ref: Plumley (2023)
Haslemere
(St Bartholomew)
:
Lewis & Co. barrel organ
installed 1839. Ref: NPOR, N13746
*Hersham
(Holy Trinity)
:
Flight & Son improved barrel organ
installed 1845.
Leatherhead
(St Mary & St Nicholas)
:
Barrel organ installed
1830. Converted to finger organ 1841.
Ref:
Friends of Leatherhead Parish Church
www.parishchurch.leatherheadweb.org.uk/history/1750.html
[accessed 16 Oct. 2023]
Long Ditton
(St James)
:
Barrel organ. Sold 1875.
Ref:
Edward
Wedlake Brayley,
A Topographical History of Surrey
, 3
(Dorking,
1841) p.138;
Surrey Comet
(17 Apr. 1875) p.5
Merton (Surrey)
(St Mary)
:
Barrel organ. Sold 1866.
Ref:
Clerkenwell News
(18 Jan. 1866) p.1
Mickleham
(St Michael)
:
Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ
installed 1842. Ref: Edward Wedlake Brayley,
A Topographical
History of Surrey
, 4 (Dorking, 1841) p.246
*Morden
(St Lawrence)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Suffolk and Essex Free Press
(14 Jul. 1920) p.6
*Petersham
(St Peter)
:
J.C. Bishop barrel organ installed
1838.
Ref:
Richmond and Twickenham Times
(16 Dec. 1899) p.14
Purley
(St Mary)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Reading Standard
(9 Feb. 1945) p.3
Reigate
(St Mary Magdalene)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref: NPOR, K01425
*Sanderstead
(All Saints)
:
John Watlen barrel organ installed
1811. Ref:
Evening Mail
(25 Sep. 1811) p.1
*Shere
(St James)
:
Barrel organ.
Streatham Hill
(Christ Church)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref: NPOR, E00634
Tandridge
(St Peter)
:
H. Bryceson barrel organ. Ref:
www.achurchnearyou.com/church/741/page/1387/view/
[accessed 6 Jan. 2025]
Tatsfield
(St Mary)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Surrey Mirror
(18 Oct. 1907) p.3;
Sevenoaks Chronicle and
Kentish Advertiser
(16 Jan. 1948) p.4 & (18 Jun. 1948) p.5
Titsey
(Parish Church)
:
Flight & Robson barrel & finger organ
removed to East Greenwich vicarage when church rebuilt
1860. Ref: Nicholas Plumley, 'Two Flight & Robson barrel
organs',
JBIOS
, 1 (1977) pp.101-113
Warlingham
(All Saints)
:
Barrel organ.
Ref:
Croydon Chronicle
and East Surrey Advertiser
(19 Feb. 1910) p.9
Worplesdon
(St Mary)
:
Gray & Davison improved barrel
organ installed 1844.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1844) p.254
* Listed in
Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston,
Church and Chamber
Barrel Organs
, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970)
pp.94-5
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