Bruce Miles - St. John's chapel organ

Bruce Miles .

The Organ in St. John's Methodist Church,
Market Weighton, East Yorkshire.

Builder - Francis Booth of Wakefield, 1859

     The organ in St John's has served the congregation of the Chapel and the people of Market Weighton faithfully for 130 years, making music for Sunday worship and special services, for baptisms, weddings, funerals and events of all kinds.
     The organ was built in 1859 by Francis Booth of Wakefield for Bingley (West Yorkshire) Methodist Church. In 1872-3 it was moved to a new and very much larger church there where it was found to be too small. It was replaced by a new organ by Francis Booth and Edmund Schulze, which is now in Lyminster, West Sussex. The original 1859 organ was bought by St John's second-hand in 1878 for £90, a new case to complement the architecture of the church was provided and it was installed in April of that year. Some changes in the specification, which originally included two Trumpets and two Mixtures, were made to suit the smaller church.
      So far as we know the organ has never had a major overhaul and, although still in fine voice and full working order, is now in urgent need of extensive repairs. Repairs to the wind supply system, costing about £6000, are most urgently needed. Reconditioning the pipework and other parts of the instrument is also long overdue and will cost a great deal more. Contributions to the Organ Fund are sought and will be gratefully received. If you would like to make a contribution, please send by post to

The Treasurer, St. John's Methodist Church,
33 Holme Road, Market Weighton,
YORK. YO43 3EQ, UK.

Specification
Great Organ. Sub-Bass 16' - 12 notes Bourdon 16' TC Diapason 8' Harmonica 8' (Stopped Diapason 8') Dulcet 8' (Dulciana 8') Octave 4' (Principal 4') Flute 4' Mixture II Flute 4' TC (Mixture IV) Clarinet 8' TC (Trumpet 8') (original specification in brackets)	Swell Organ Viola 8' (Open Diapason 8') Clarabella 8' (Stopped Diapason 8') Gemshorn 4' (Principal 4') Cornopean 8' (Trumpet 8') Pedal Organ Diapason 16' Couplers Swell to Great Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal
Swell Enclosed Tracker (Mechanical) Action Sliderless Chests Thanks to Paul L Dawson for historical information.

A Programme
given by Dr. Francis Jackson
(Organist Emeritus, York Minster),
on 15th June, 2000

Concerto 4 in G	i	Larghetto	Matthew Camidge
	ii	Fugue Allegro
	iii	Larghetto
	iv	March

Andante Cantabile			Samuel Sebastian Wesley

Toccata and Fugue in D minor			Bach

Evening Song			Edward C. Bairstow

Suite Gothique	i	Choral	Léon Boëllmann
	i	Menuet Gothique
	iii	Prière à Notre Dame
	iv	Toccata

Prelude on ‘East Acklam’ ‘ · · the sweet rivelet’			FJ

Grand Choeur in D			Alexandre Guilmant

revised 21-Jan-2009