PLYMOUTH : ST SIMON'S CHURCH.


The Organ in St Simon's Church, Plymouth was originally built by RENATUS HARRIS in 1707 for St Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich.
It was subsequently rebuilt and enlarged by JOHN PIKE ENGLAND in 1794 and again by HEDGELAND in 1866.
HELE & C0MPANY built a new Organ for St Peter Mancroft in 1910. They removed the old Organ and after much refurbishment installed it in St. Simon's Church, Plymouth in 1912.

Until recently, the Organ received only routine tuning and minor repairs. The Great pipework has now been restored by HELE & COMPANY LTD. During the restoration, the different characteristics of the pipes were carefully noted and have been grouped as follows:-

GROUP 1

FLAUTO 8FT: lowest 20 red sized wood pipes, very old. Oak caps and blocks, square holes in blocks for feet. Tops cut very rough. Early pipework.

GROUP 2

TWELFTH 2.2/3FT: originally marked Dul, very old. Fine nicking, greenish patina. Pressed Bayleaf Mouths. Oldest metal pipework on Great.

GROUP 3

FIFTEENTH 2FT: Spotted Metal. copper plate marking. Fine nicking.

GROUP 4

DOUBLE 16ft: spelled Dble. G20 to B24 ex-Har Flute pieced out. C25 marked J.Hele of L 16. Jan 24 1891.
SMALL OPEN 8ft: marked correctly. Same maker as Double from C13 up
PRINCIPAL 4FT: Lowest 14 same maker as Double. Copper plate writing, mouths scored, small ears. Mid C25 and Treb C37 both marked "Pitch 643 Pres 2.7/8 Pitch Norwich"

GROUP 5

LARGE OPEN 8FT: G sharp 21 up. Correctly marked. Lowest 20 pipes miscellaneous.
PRINCIPAL 4FT: D15 up, same maker as Large Open. Scale increased at D15 - newer pipes than lowest 14 (Group 4).
MIXTURE 3RKS: 15.19 22. breaking back to 8.12.15 at C25 thus missing out the 12.15.19 break. Same maker as Large Open.

GROUP 6

FLAUTO 8FT: G sharp 21 up Hele 1912.
TRUMPET 8FT: Hele 1912.

GROUP 7

FLUTE 4FT: Hele 1998

 


SPECIFICATION

COMPASS OF MANUALS

CC-G

56 Notes

COMPASS OF PEDALS

CCC-F

30Notes

GREAT ORGAN

 1. Trumpet

 8ft

Hele 1912

 2. Mixture.15.19.22

 3rk

small mouths, burnished

 3. Fifteenth

2ft

very early

 4. Twelfth

 2.2/3ft

very early

 5. Flauto

 4ft

Hele 1998

 6. Principal

4ft

lowest 14 early. rest group 5

 7. Flauto

8ft

bass v.early. Hele G sharp 21 up

 8. Small Open

8ft

early

 9. Large Open

8ft

small mouths, burnished

 10 Double Open

16ft

early

 SWELL

 11. Cornopean

 8ft

Hele 1912

 12. Oboe

 8ft

Hele 1912

13. Mixture .19.22

 2rk

some very early

14. Piccolo

  2ft

some very early

 15. Principal

 4ft

some very early

 16. Celeste

 8ft

as Gt Open. marked Choir

  17. Salicional

8ft

Hele 1912

 18. Gedackt

 8ft

Chimney C25 up, marked Sesqui

19. Open Diapason

  8ft

small mouths, burnished

 20. Bourdon

 16ft

basses very early

  CHOIR ORGAN

21. Clarinet

  8ft

used to be CC

 22. Flautina

 2ft

Mix. late

23. Flute

 4ft

lowest 12 Hele. rest Sesqui Gt & Mix

 24. Gainba

 8ft

very early

25. Clarabella

  8ft

bass notes very early

 26. Open Diapason

 8ft

Swell Open. early

 PEDAL ORGAN

 27. Bass Flute

8ft

long chest

28. Bourdon

16ft.

28,29 chests same length

29. Open Diapason

 16ft.

 

 COUPLERS

30. Swell to Great
31. Swell to Choir
32. Swell to Pedal
33. Great to Pedal
34. Choir to Pedal

ACCESSORIES

3 Composition Pedals to Swell
3 Composition Pedals to Great
Great to Pedal reversible
Trigger Swell Pedal

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