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The Organ in the Church of The Good Shepherd Heswall

Updated 16October 2002

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The present Church of the Good Shepherd was designed by Eric Fuber, ARIBA and dedicated in 1968?.  It replaced a mission church build earlier in the century on the site adjacent to the Parish Hall. Due to financial constraints it was not possible to build a pipe organ straight away and for some years an electronic instrument was used.  The present instrument was generously donated by William Gibbson, who along with his brother, was a greater support of the Parish of Heswall.

The organ was built in 1970 by Rushworth and Dreaper (Liverpool) with Roger Fisher, then Organist and Director of Music at Chester Cathedral, as consultant.  It was build following the neo-classical fashion of the time.  Its tone is a milder singing brilliance rather that the predominantly louder unison pitch found in many instruments built in the earlier part of the twentieth century.  In 1996 the organ was cleaned and overhauled by the builder.  The instrument is located in a shallow chamber on the north side of the chancel with the console attached.

 

  

Great (CC-c3)
8 Open Diapason
8 Stopped Diapason
4 Principal  (extension of Open Diapason 8)
4 Rohr Flöte
2 Spitz Flöte
IV Fourniture

Pedal (CC-g)
16 Bourdon (C-B from Great Stopped Diapason)
8 Principal (bottom 12 notes from Great Open Diapason)
8 Bass Flute (extension of Bourdon 16)
4 Octave (extension of Principal 8)
4 Flute (extension of Bass Flute 8)
2 Twenty Second  (extension of Octave 4)
16 Fagotto
8 Fagotto (extension of Fagotto 16)
4 Fagotto (extension of Fagotto 8)

Swell(CC-c3)
8 Gemshorn
4 Flute Conique
2 Principal
III Scharf
8 Trumpet

Couplers
Swell to Great
Swell to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Tremulant (operates on whole organ)
Great and Pedal Pistons

Accessories etc.
4 adjustable thumb pistons to Swell
4 toe pistons to Swell (duplicating thumb pistons)
4 adjustable thumb pistons to Great
4 adjustable toe pistons to Pedal
Reversible thumb and toe pistons to
   Swell to Great
   Swell to Pedal
   Great to Pedal

Pistons adjustable via switchboard in drawer beneath the music desk (on, neutral, and off for each piston, couplers associated with pistons for division they affect; Tremulant operates with great pistons.)

Balanced Swell Pedal (to Swell division) 

The instrument has draw stops fitted on 180º jambs.

The action is solid state (discrete transistors and diodes) direct electric, and the soundboards are sliderless (apparently to save space).  The wind pressure is very low about (2½ inches) and much of the voicing carried out in the open foot style with minimal nicking.   The instrument sounds bright and is well supported by a sympathetic acoustic in the church.
   

© Iain Stinson, 2002; Disclaimer and copyright statement.