History of the Church Organ 

The two-manual and pedal Rothwell Pipe Organ was originally built in 1927 for the George Cadbury Memorial hall, on the Bristol Road in Birmingham. This was in memory of one of the two brothers who founded the famous chocolate firm. The pipes were installed at the rear of the stage and also above the proscenium arch.

Earlsdon Methodist Church's first pipe organ, which was obtained second-hand in 1927, was a 3-manual and pedal pipe organ by Connacher, Sheffield & Co of Birmingham. Because it was installed in a tiny chamber at the front of the church there was no room for anyone to tune or maintain the instrument, and by the late 1960's it had totally collapsed.

Mr Frank Hutchinson, a member of the church choir at the time, hearing that the church was seeking a replacement organ, offered to purchase the Rothewell organ from Birmingham where the hall was being sold to Birmingham University, the organ being no longer required.

In 1970/71 this was installed in the space previously occupied by the old organ and the choir stalls. The appearance of the sanctuary was modernised, and included the present louvred screen in front of all the pipes. This rebuilding was undertaken by Harris Church Organs of Birmingham, and the organ was provided with a console made from a domestic electronic instrument.

The console and organ gave good service over the years, right into the new millenium, but by 2004 many faults were developing in the instrument and a refurbishment appeal was launched. Over the next seven years the organists donated their wages, various members gave generously, and fund raising concerts were held.

Proposals for the refurbishment plans were discussed with about 12 organ-building firms, and those by Cousans Organs of Leicester, submitted by Mr Ian Carter, were the ones finally approved. In 2011 sufficient money to do the most urgent repairs and renovations was accumulated and the work began in January of the year.

All of the pipework (except for the very largest pipes) was removed from the organ and thoroughly cleaned and repaired; reed pipes were fitted with new tuning springs; flue pipes were fitted with new tuning slides; and all of the wind supply bellows were re-leathered, as were the auxiliary chests for 8-foot stops and the pedal division.

Organist Will Light obtained a pedal reed stop called the Ophicleide from a church in Beulah Hill, London, which was disposing of its pipe organ. This rank of pipes was by Robert Hope-Jones, a well-known organ builder in the 19th and early 20th centuries, who later went to America where he teamed up with Rudolph Würlitzer to develop the Theatre Organ - familiar in many cinemas in the 1930's and 1940's.

Mr Harris had added some small high-pitched stops to brighten the organ's sound in 1970, and now Will and Ian have added the deep bass tone of the Ophicleide to strengthen the bottom end of the tone spectrum and add what some would call "gravitas" to the full organ sound.(Others may have another name for it!)

My hope is that, with the work that has been done, not only will the sound of the organ be improved, but that the organ will be given a new lease of life, so that it can continue to lead the worship of Almighty God in Earlsdon fro many years to come - long after I and our present-day church community have departed.

Will Light, Organist 2011

This text is taken from the Souvenir Programme of the Grand Opening Concert 10th September 2011, played by Richard Hills F.R.C.O.