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ST. ANDREW’S
PARISH CHURCH
Church Gate Moffat
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THE ORGAN
by James Steele
Former Organist and Choirmaster
The present organ, one of the largest in the South West of Scotland, was not
installed in the building until 1894, seven years after the Church's
completion. Prior to this, in 1892, a public subscription fund was established
to finance the construction of a new pipe organ, the organ committee invited
Dr. A.L. Peace, Master of the Music at Glasgow Cathedral (1879-1897), to draw
up a specification for the new organ. Six organ builders tendered for the
contract which was finally awarded to Mr. Eustace Ingram, London
The instrument took nearly two months to be installed in its original case
designed by Mr. John Stanforth,
Edinburgh the architect of the church. The total
cost of the instrument was £689, the case costing a further £150. The
instrument completed in 1894, consisted of great, swell and pedal organs with
provision for the addition of a choir organ at a later date. The action of the
pedal organ was pneumatic, the swell and great organ action is tracker or
mechanical, i.e. it employs a direct mechanical linkage between the key and the
pallets admitting wind into the pipes. This was the system used in the 18th
century and its endurance is demonstrated by the many fine instruments of this
time still in use today. The bellows were originally worked by an hydraulic
engine supplied by Melvin & Sons, Glasgow , however they have been operated electrically since the
installation of an electric blower in the early Thirties.
The organ was inaugurated on the 25th April 1894 by Dr. Peace
with a programme which was devised to show the capabilities of the instrument.
The choir organ was installed in 1899, the builder is unknown, but the work
is of similar quality and is in all probability that of Ingram.
No further stop additions have been made since.
On the 13th December 1899 a recital was given by Mr. William Crawford to mark his appointment as church
organist and the completion of the instrument
In 1962 the organ was cleaned by Andrew Watt,
Glasgow,
in addition to this the pedal organ was changed to electro-pneumatic and the
choir stop draw action was electrified. In 1967 repairs were carried out on the
pedal organ. The organ was again cleaned in 1974, this involved the swell
organ's wooden trackers being replaced by alloy wires, this work being
performed by J.W. Walker & Sons Ltd. and cost £4,000.
Additional information by Andrew Thorne,
Church Organist and Choirmaster.
In 2004 it was apparent that the organ required further attention. The tracker action has been completely renewed
and a new roller board and pedal board fitted. The Choir organ stop mechanism
has been renewed and a new silent running blower has been installed.
The work was carried out by Sandy
Edmonstone at a cost of £40,000
and completed on 5th June 2007. The organ consultant was Alan Buchan.