Stories Of London

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There were originally several thousand theatre organs in the U.S. and U.K.  Sadly, today, there are less than a few hundred left.  In both the U.K. and the U.S. a number of Societies have been set up, which, as part of their Mission Statements, help in the preservation of these instruments and also offer venues where they may be heard.

In 1955, the organisational meeting of The American Theatre Organ Enthusiasts (ATOE) was held with the specific intentions of preserving the tradition of the theatre organ and to further the understanding of this instrument and its music through the exchange of information.  In 1969, the Organisation underwent a name change and has since been known as The American Theatre Organ Society (ATOS).

The ATOS, as with the Cinema Organ Society (COS) and the Theatre Organ Club (TOC) in the U.K., does not directly present instruments to the public.   Instead, by using a network of Chapters (Branches) , the efforts of the ATOS are often presented by the Chapters, since they have the resources, and instrument-access to offer theatre organ presentations. These presentations take the form of concerts, silent film showings with live theatre organ accompaniment and live music-based entertainment shows.  These programmes often allow unknown young organists and other amateurs opportunities to sit down and play a theatre organ.

Over the years, the ATOS has grown and now has a Chapter in the U.K. and another in Australia.  The U.K. Chapter (formally known as the London and South of England Chapter of The American Theatre Organ Society) has an affiliation with the Cinema Organ Society (COS) and was founded by Len and his family at Wurlitzer Lodge with his mother as the founding Secretary.

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Len says that towards the close of the 1950s, a number of stunning long-playing gramophone (LP) records by numerous American theatre organists were being made available to the UK market.  Len found these albums to be extremely interesting in terms of their style of playing and also from the opportunity to hear particular instruments being played.

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Once the erstwhile Theatre Organ of the Granada Theatre Wandsworth had been installed at Wurlitzer Lodge, Len and his family enjoyed visits from numerous organists and lovers of the music.  One such visitor was Richard Simonton (1915–1979), in whose home in Los Angeles the ATOE, as it was known then, had been founded.

Mr. Simonton was a colourful character with eclectic interests: an electrical engineer, a businessman and an organist who owned several organs including one by Wurlitzer and who had invented a number of circuits used in electronic organs.   During Mr. Simonton’s first visit to Wurlitzer Lodge, and to the amazement of his parents and himself, Len says that he was very impressed with what they had achieved regarding the installation of their Wurlitzer Theatre Organ.

Over the next few years, Mr. Simonton revisited Wurlitzer Lodge a number of times, and during one of these visits, he suggested that one of the UK Theatre Organ Societies (i.e. COS, TOC) might like to form an alliance with the ATOS by becoming a Chapter.

Len with his parents who had been members of both the COS and the TOC from the early years of their existence and had enjoyed going to the meetings that were held.  During this time, they had come to know the officials of both the COS and TOC and so were able to arrange formal meetings with them to discuss Mr. Simonton’s suggestion and also to set out the benefits of one or both Societies aligning with the ATOS.

Unfortunately neither the COS nor the TOC felt that they had sufficient energy and time, at that time, to take a serious interest in the developing American scene and so declined the invitation.  Len says that, and to be fair to both Societies, they were in their early stages of development and perhaps the thought of having to deal with the ATOS from a distance was too daunting.  Len remembers that he and his parents were somewhat surprised by their response since they had found their own exchanges with the ATOS to be both easy and enjoyable.

Len found the decline of the invitation to be disappointing, since he felt that an association with the ATOS would be of value to him and other organists as artists since it would have been an opportunity to gain contact with American artists and the chance to discuss their styles of playing and also to exchange literature and perhaps even have the opportunity to meet them.

Although neither the COS nor the TOC had the inclination to take a formal American connection under their wings, they stated that they were not adverse should such an alliance between the Rawle Family and their group of organ devotees be pursued.

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Prior to these meetings, Len and his parents had no intention of forming an organ society as such, however now that the seed had been sown, the Rawle Family began to give the matter serious consideration.

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Once the Theatre Organ had been installed at Wurlitzer Lodge, Len says that his family had got into the habit of inviting admirers of theatre organ music to attend regular weekly musical evenings usually held on Mondays.  Over the months, these soirees grew to include some sixty devotees, which were accommodated in the music room Len and his family had added to the Lodge.

Soon after their meetings with the COS and the TOC, at one of the monthly gatherings, the matter of forming a U.K. Chapter of the ATOS with its headquarters at Wurlitzer Lodge came under discussion.  After careful thought, a decision was made to speak more with the ATOS about the possibility of forming such a Chapter.  The ATOS welcomed this plan, and soon after once the formalities between Richard Simonton and a few good professional friends were completed, an ATOS Chapter Committee was formed, which led to adoption of the Chapter Constitution with the eventual founding of The London and South of England Chapter of The American Theatre Organ Society in March 1968.

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Members of the first Chapter Committee included George Harrison, as its first Chairman and Mrs. Edith Rawle as Secretary, a post that she held until her passing in 1992.  A number of other members have held the post of Chairman including Len and his wife, Judith, Mr. Bill Watts and Mr. Ian Ridley, both long-time supporters.  In addition, Len has also held the position of Newsletter Editor and is currently the Chapter’s Musical Advisor and Concert Secretary.  Mr. Nick Ashton is the current Chairman of the Chapter with Mrs. Judith Rawle, its Secretary and Keith Reeve, its Treasurer.

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One the activities that the Chapter has been proud to offer Members and guests that enjoy the sounds of a theatre organ is the opportunity to see, hear and meet British and European Theatre Organists.  In addition, a number of American Theatre Organists have also been invited to give concerts sponsored by the Chapter.

Concerts have been held at venues including Wurlitzer Lodge, the Gaumont State Kilburn, the Granada Theatre Harrow and since 1995, at Woking Leisure Centre, where the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ of the erstwhile  Granada Theatre Welling is installed and maintained by the Chapter.

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One concert, held at the Granada Theatre Kingston, proved memorable for more than the music played.  Apparently, the rather lively invited organist completed the first half of his programme with a very heavy handed performance that resulted in the bending of several key contacts causing the Organ to make rather a disturbing noise all on its own!  Len and his father, present in the audience, stepped up and opened the Console and. in full view of the audience, managed to correct the problem just in time for the second half of the performance to begin.

Len and his father repairing the Console at an ATOS Concert during the 1970’s