Stories Of London

Len says that although the days when Theatre Organs played a leading role in cinemas are obviously behind us, today we are most fortunate since these magnificent instruments are given increased care and dedicated attention.  This situation is very unlike the days, Len remembers, when he first began performing. At that time, Theatre Organs were, for the most part, not maintained or tuned and playing them proved to be hard work, and at times, very frustrating.

Len adds that today these highly versatile instruments are to be found in a variety of fascinating locations around the world and those that have been transplanted, as well as those that remain in their original installations are well cared for and in the very best of condition.

And so we can hope that the glorious sounds that are produced from Theatre Organs will fill the largest Hall or home for many years to come.

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Thanks to Len’s remarkable abilities, over the years he together with his father and a number of colleagues, have restored and, at times, reinstalled a number of Theatre Organs into new locations.

Len says that fortunately the quality of their construction is such that they can be overhauled to as new a condition as possible and, with due attention being given to the design of a new home, they can be reinstalled almost anywhere.  One interesting illustration of what Len says is clearly illustrated by the Theatre Organ currently located at the East Sussex National Resort (Hotel & Golf Course)  near Uckfield, East Sussex.

East Sussex National

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Portslade Town Hall

The venue opened in May 1988 and over the past thirty or so years, Len has played the occasional concert at the Portslade Town Hall in Sussex where a Compton Theatre Organ was installed.

Michael Wooldridge (1965) at the Portslade Town Hall Theatre Organ

While here, Len was shown a carefully stored collection of organ pipes that had been collected from a wide variety of American instruments in the basement of the Portslade Town Hall by David Houlgate.  Apparently, a consortium consisting of Mr. Houlgate together with Mr. Michael Maine and Mr. Richard Andrews, had imported them from the U.S. with the aim of putting them together to form a Theatre Organ. 

The pipes were originally stored at the Middlesex Business Centre, however when the consortium was unable to find a suitable home for them, they managed to persuade Mr. Michael Hunt, an organ enthusiast and owner of several golf courses in East Sussex, to take on the project for installation at the East Sussex National.  In the early 1980’s, Len together with his father had previously aided Mr. Hunt in obtaining planning permission to install a Compton Theatre Organ in his home.

Mr. Hunt’s plan for this unique collection of Theatre Organ pipes was to have them expertly blended together to provide music following installation at a suitable site. In addition, he also arranged to bring the 4-manual Console (Modernistic or Waterfall style) that was installed at The Organ Stop Pizza Parlour in Mesa, Arizona to the U.K. This Console became available once the Organ Stop Pizza Parlour had its Organ increased to 82-ranks and a new Console was required.

The Organ Stop Pizza Parlour, Mesa, Arizona

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The pipes and the Console eventually formed the East Sussex National Wurlitzer Theatre Organ (ESN) and was installed at the luxurious Leisure Complex in Uckfield, East Sussex in the conference and banqueting suite, which had been designed with the Organ in mind. A great deal of timberwork was required to build the new pipe chambers for what was to become the largest Wurlitzer Theatre Organ in the U.K. with its 32-ranks, the specification of which was drawn up by Michael Wooldridge and Clark Wilson with the installation being overseen by David Houlgate.

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Michael Wooldridge, Publisher of the Organ & Keyboard Cavalcade and Resident Organist at the East Sussex National (ESN), shown here seated at the ESN Wurlitzer Theatre Organ. 
Photograph by Martin Simpson