LEN RAWLE
THE PROFESSIONAL AMATEUR
& ORGANIST SUPREME
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PAGE NINE:
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
SAVING & SERVICING OTHER THEATRE ORGANS
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SAVING OTHER THEATRE ORGANS
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Len and his father had saved the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ once installed at the Granada Theatre Wandsworth from being broken-up and its numerous components from either being used in the repair of other instruments or for other purposes including being sold for scrap. However this was not the only organ that was saved by them.
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At the last count, Len believes that, together with his father and various groups of friends, they managed to remove and save the astonishing number of forty-two instruments. Len regrets that they did not keep an accurate record of where these organs were removed from and where they were installed afterwards. However, he is certain that they were involved in the removal of several of the Wurlitzer Theatre Organs installed in Granada Theatres together with a number of Compton instruments and the Christie Theatre Organ of the Regal Cinema Edmonton.
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1. THE RITZ (ABC) CINEMA RICHMOND
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The Wurlitzer Theatre Organ installed at the Ritz (ABC) Cinema Richmond
Len had a special relationship with the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ (3-manuals; 8-ranks) installed at the Ritz (ABC) Cinema Richmond since he had played it regularly at the Saturday Morning Children’s Matinee following the completion of his National Service with the army at the start of his professional music career. This position came to Len thanks to Mr. George Blackmore (1921-1994) and the cinema manager, Mr. McKoy,
When the Ritz (ABC) Cinema Richmond closed in December 1971 with plans for its demolition soon after, Len and his father decided that they had to do something to try to save it. Their original hope for the organ was to find a suitable venue such as either a hall or a school, and if this did not prove possible, in someone’s home where it would continue to be enjoyed.
In the meantime, they were faced with finding a place where the organ could be stored until a permanent home was found. The search proved fruitless, and so after some family discussion, it was decided that while they continued to search for a home for the organ, they would attempt to secrete the various components of the organ in any available space at Wurlitzer Lodge!
The Console of the organ was fitted into their lounge where the organ bench was used only for general sitting, as the Console was never joined to any of the numerous pipes that were hidden in cupboards, behind wardrobes, under raised beds to gain more space and in the garage! Len says that his mother deserved a medal for tolerating the disruption this brought to her household!
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Eventually, the Rawle Family found a home for the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ of the Ritz (ABC) Cinema Richmond. It was purchased by Mr. Phil Doyle from Australia. Mr. Doyle arranged for its transportation and installation in his cinema, The Mecca, in Kogarah, a suburb of Sydney in New South Wales, which had been opened in 1928 and named the Victory Theatre.
The Mecca Theatre Kogarah
The organ was installed at The Mecca in 1975 when it replaced the Conn Electronic Organ already present. By 1990, the cinema was transformed into four screens, and the organ had been removed and sold to Mr. Alan Tranter who had been the organist at the Theatre in 1971.
Mr. Tranter also owns the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ (4-manuals; 19-ranks) previously installed at the Regent Theatre Melbourne and the Christie Theatre Organ (2-manuals; 7-ranks) that had originally been installed at the Victory Theatre Kogarah in 1928 and incidentally was the first Christie Theatre Organ (Opus 2687) to be exported to Australia. The three organs are believed to be in storage at the present time.
Rodney Blackmore, member of the Theatre Organ Society of Australia
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Ms Margaret Hall seated at the Console of the Mecca Theatre Organ Kogarah
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2. THE EMPIRE THEATRE LEICESTER SQUARE
The Wurlitzer Organ of the Empire Cinema Leicester Square known as The Empress
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In addition to installing the Theatre Organ of the Granada Theatre Wandsworth and storing that of the Ritz (ABC) Cinema Richmond at Wurlitzer Lodge, once Len heard that the Empire Theatre Leicester Square was to be removed when the Theatre was about to undergo changes, he set about trying to save it. Fortunately Len, his father and a host of helpful friends managed to achieve this with its eventual installation at Len’s home, aptly named Tonawanda, in Chorleywood.
Len seated at the Console of The Empress at his home
This saga will be discussed on a later page. While Tonawanda was in the process of being built, this Organ was also stored at Wurlitzer Lodge. As Len says, his mother deserved a medal for allowing this additional disruption to their home!
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3. THE REGAL CINEMA EDMONTON
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Although Len’s father loved both the sound and the technical side of the Theatre Organ, he was never fortunate enough to have any musical guidance or instruction in playing the instrument. Despite this, he developed the skill to tune an organ. He learned to do this by watching and identifying the work of professional tuners who were always happy to come to Wurlitzer Lodge and explain what to do, and more importantly, what not to do.
Mr. Les Rawle, Len’s father, sorting out some of the cables of the Family Organ
Len says that his father’s skill as a tuner was recognised and he was invited by the management of the Regal Cinema Edmonton to take on the responsibility of tuning as well as the routine maintenance of the Cinema’s renown Christie Theatre Organ (4-Manuals; 15-Ranks) in order to allow organ societies to hold concerts there. Mr. Les Rawle happily offered his abilities at no cost to the Cinema management, and they in return, offered the organ to him as a gift when the Cinema finally closed.
The Regal Cinema Edmonton (Left) & Ms Doreen Chadwick (1919-2014; Right)
seated at the Console of the Cinema’s Christie Theatre Organ in 1976
Photograph taken from the CD Cover, Echoes of Edmonton
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The Rawle family in turn donated the organ to the London & South-East Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society (which they had founded; see Page 8) and the Chapter installed it in the Memorial Hall Barry, South Wales and ran regular Tea Dances and Concerts there for 15 years.
Memorial Hall Barry
The Theatre Organ in the Memorial Hall Barry
Reproduced with permission of the London and South of England Chapter of the ATOS
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Len fitting a Digital Transmission System to replace the worn out Pneumatic Relays
to the Organ while installed at Memorial Hall Barry
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When a new management decided they needed the space, the Tea Dances and Concerts where it had been played for a number of years ended. The organ was then removed and placed in storage until Paul Kirner negotiated an offer to purchase it from the Chapter and installed it in his Music Palace.
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4. THE THEATRE ORGAN OF THE GRANADA THEATRE WELLING
&
ITS INSTALLATION AT THE WOKING LEISURE CENTRE
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The Theatre Organ played at concerts sponsored by the London and South East Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society at the 250-seat Wurlitzer Hall, part of the Woking Leisure Centre, is the erstwhile Theatre Organ once installed at the Granada Theatre Welling (3-manuals; 8-ranks). Since its installation, Len and fellow members of the Chapter have increased the number of ranks to 19.
Robinson Cleaver at the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ of the Granada Theatre Welling
Len’s father was responsible for overseeing the removal of the organ from the Theatre along with help from fellow Chapter members while Len was responsible for its complete overhaul. In addition, Len also negotiated and planned the layout and design of the installation with Woking Council.
Removing Organ Components from the Granada Theatre Welling
Len’s father and several members of the Chapter assisted with the original installation in Wurlitzer Hall. Len had a concept for this Theatre Organ that would allow it to be heard and best enjoyed in the Hall, and which over the years, has come to fruition. Len believes that the Organ has a glorious sound that has proven pleasing to both audiences and all professional organists that have played it. Len has managed to create a balanced Wall of Sound (see below) with the Organ that is the subject of much talk by those planning on building their own instruments.
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What does Len mean by a balanced Wall of Sound?
Len says that this is a term that he uses to hopefully describe what, in a modern recording of a Theatre Organ, is his personal preference for a well-balanced layout of the pipes. In the past, when stereo was the rage, many organists thought that it was wonderful to have a sort of ping-pong effect with totally different sounds coming from the left and right Organ Chambers. In Len’s view, this sound seldom works well with Theatre Organs. He recalls too many occasions sitting on one side of an auditorium experiencing a huge blast of the Melody from the Solo Chamber or, if seated on the other side, hearing only the Rhythmic Left Hand Accompaniment from the Main Chamber. Len prefers to spread the Voices out, which serves to produce an overall sound that is more akin to the rich ensemble of an orchestra.
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The term, Wall of Sound, was first employed commercially, and in quite a different way, by the Studio Producer, Phil Spector (1939). Mr. Spector broke new ground in the 1960s by electronically raising the sound of harmonics in every instrument to the maximum listenable level. Len feels that this is fine for Rock ‘n’ Roll music, but not for most other musical genres.
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Click here to listen to Michael Baron playing the Woking Wurlitzer Theatre Organ
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The Wurlitzer Theatre Organ of The Woking Leisure Centre installed in Wurlitzer Hall
As may be seen from the photograph above of The Organ in Wurlitzer Hall, the Organ’s Pipe Chambers are placed on either side of the Console. In addition, there is a Central Percussion Chamber directly above the Console. The Pipe Chambers are separated from the auditorium by plain glass partitions, which offers the patrons a view of the ranks of pipes.
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SERVICING OTHER THEATRE ORGANS
Over the years, Len has not only removed a number of Theatre Organs from their original locations along with his father and a number of member-volunteers of the London and South of England Chapter of the ATOS, but has also serviced a number of others.
Len says that in his early years of working on Theatre Organs, the work was not so much servicing, but rather trying to put them into a playable condition for the TOC and COS members to hear at sponsored concerts. Unfortunately, at this time, Theatre Organs were falling into disrepair since their tuning and general care had been taken off the official maintenance schedules of the cinema companies. Len remembers the work as being always extremely dirty, and consisting mainly in tuning and getting critical notes and pipes that had gone dead to play, in addition to adjusting Keyboards and Tremulants.
Len is also keen not to give the impression that neither he, his father nor member-volunteers were operating from any commercial premises. In fact, once an organ was removed from its original installation, all work performed on it was undertaken in their own homes and in their spare time. Len adds that they never sought out work. On the contrary, as more and more individuals looked to own an organ, they looked to him and his father for guidance and assistance in the safe removal of the instrument.
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Currently, Len is responsible for the tuning and maintenance of a number of Theatre Organs installed throughout the U.K. These organs include those of the The Musical Museum (Brentford, London), Woking Leisure Centre (see above), Villa Marina Arcade (Isle of Man) and the erstwhile Granada Theatre Harrow (now a Gold’s Gym).
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1. THE WURLITZER THEATRE ORGAN OF THE MUSICAL MUSEUM
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The Wurlitzer Theatre Organ of The Musical Museum (3-manuals; 12 ranks) was once installed at the Regal-ABC Cinema Kingston-Upon-Thames. This is the organ that Len played at his audition for Mr. Joseph Seal, who was at the time, the Musical Director of the ABC Circuit, and who was based at the Regal (ABC) Cinema Kingston.
Left: The Regal-ABC Kingston-Upon-Thames; Right: The Musical Museum, Brentford
Following a successful audition, Mr. Seal allowed Len to play a number of organs of ABC Circuit Cinemas, including this one, at the Saturday Morning Children’s Matinees. Although Len received no monetary payment for his playing, he was given free access to this Organ following the end of the Matinee until the start of the afternoon screening session (see Page 3: Mentors).
The Organ was removed from the cinema in 1972 and moved to The Musical Museum where it remains today and is regularly serviced and played at concerts and at film screenings.
The Wurlitzer Theatre Organ of The Musical Museum
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Len at The Musical Museum in 1996
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2. THE VILLA MARINA ARCADE (ISLE OF MANN)
WURLITZER THEATRE ORGAN
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The Wurlitzer Theatre Organ now installed at the Villa Marina Arcade (Isle of Mann; IOM), was originally to be installed at the Marlborough Cinema Holloway when it arrived in the U.K. However, it was deemed too small for this cinema and was installed instead at the smaller City Cinema Leicester where it remained until 1957 when it was removed and put into storage. The Organ was purchased later for installation at the Picture House Walsall and then at Dormston House, Sedgely, Staffs. Once installed at Dormston House, the organ soon became well-known to listeners of The Organist Entertains on BBC Radio 2 with Brian Sharp playing it.
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In 1989, the Organ was sold to the Government of the Isle of Mann (IOM) and installed at Summerland Leisure Centre where it remained until 2004 when the venue closed.
Summerland Leisure Centre (1971)
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Following this, the organ was fully restored by Mr. Len Rawle and installed in the Villa Marina complex on the island where it remains today.
Villa Marina Arcade
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Len says that the IOM installation in the Summerland Leisure Centre sadly was not satisfactory, as the chambers were in a position where they could not be heard by the organist! When Summerland was to be demolished, Len was consulted and asked to determine if the Organ was worth saving.
Originally the Organ consisted of 2-manuals and 9-ranks, but the organist, Brian Sharp, had a third manual and an English-made English Horn rank added together with various additional electronic sounds such as a String Bass, Tympani and Orchestral Violins.
The authorities of The IOM were unsure whether to preserve the Organ. However Len felt that it could, and should, be saved and returned to its original specification and overall appearance. Len thought long and hard about keeping the added English Horn rank and wished to reserve judgement until he had the opportunity of hearing it played in its new home.
It took seven years to achieve the building of the Organ’s new home within the impressive Villa Marina Arcade in Douglas. Len’s specifications for the Organ Chambers and the new performance area were accepted by the authorities, and today, the venue is one of the most attractive settings for local theatre organ concerts in the U.K.
Len says that auditorium acoustics are excellent and there is room for up to two hundred people to be seated in the audience area. In addition, the illuminated pipework can be viewed through large glass panels, which are housed in a temperature-controlled environment, which greatly assists stable tuning.
Changes to the Organ included the re-voicing of the English Horn as a Trumpet and removal of the third manual. The now 2-manual Console has been extensively refurbished and returned, as closely as possible, to its original French-style with a natural wood finish and gold gilding.
Len says that this is an installation that he is extremely proud to have had the opportunity of restoring and saving and he continues to maintain it on a regular basis. In addition to its fortnightly use by The Friends of the IOM Wurlitzer, the Organ is used during a number of concert opportunities each year.
The Villa Marina Arcade Wurlitzer Theatre Organ showing the Illuminated Organ Chambers
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Lens says:
Everything I learnt from helpful professional individuals over my life went into this project. It all came about following a concert sponsored by The Isle of Mann Electronic Organ Society, when a number of members bemoaned to me about the unplayable condition of the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ. I was then invited by Government Officials to assess the situation of this Organ and later to undertake the full inspection, removal, restoration, building design and subsequent re-installation. We have many friends there and my work is much appreciated. Above all, I have the full cooperation from officialdom and continue to look after the completed instrument. I view this wonderful instrument as being sort of Len’s Legacy!
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3. THE WURLITZER THEATRE ORGAN OF
THE GRANADA THEATRE HARROW
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The Granada Theatre Harrow was for many years the home of the London and South of England Chapter of the ATOS’s Young Theatre Organist of the Year Competitions until the Theatre closed in November 1996.
Len seated at the Console of the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ of the Granada Theatre Harrow
This photograph appears with permission of Mr. John Leeming
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When Granada’s Head Office Management decided to sell the building, it wished to donate the 3-Manual, 8-Rank Wurlitzer Theatre Organ to the Chapter in return for all the work that Mr. Les Rawle and the technical team had undertaken on it over the many years in order to maintain it in playing condition. However since the building was listed, the Chapter understood that the Organ had to remain in situ and so refrained from risking any attempt to remove it.
The Wurlitzer Theatre Organ of the Granada Theatre Harrow was seriously damaged during the eight-year period that it remained dormant following the Theatre’s closure in 1996. Once access to the building was granted, Len and his colleagues completely rebuilt the Organ to an as-new condition.
The Console of the Rebuilt Theatre Organ at its present position on the Stage during a Concert
Photograph reproduced with permission of the London and South of England Chapter of the ATOS
Although Len continues with the ATOS Team to service the Organ, it is currently not practical to hold concerts here.
Click here to view others photographs taken of the Console
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OTHER THEATRE ORGANS ONCE SERVICED
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Len has also been responsible for the tuning of a number of other Theatre Organs including those of the Gaumont State Kilburn, the Granada Theatre Slough and the Granada Theatre Tooting.
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1. THE WURLITZER THEATRE ORGAN OF
THE STATE SUPER CINEMA KILBURN
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Prior to the London & South-East Chapter of the ATOS holding concerts at Wurlitzer Hall in the Woking Leisure Centre, concerts were often held at the Gaumont State Super Cinema in Kilburn. Len and House Engineer David Neal were once responsible for servicing and tuning the Cinema’s Theatre Organ.
Len seated at the Console of the Theatre Organ of the State Cinema Kilburn
This photograph appears with permission of Mr. John Leeming
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This Super Cinema was opened in 1937 and continued screening films and offering stage productions until it closed in September 1980. At this time, it became a Top Rank Bingo Club, and later, a Mecca Bingo Club, until its closure in August 2007. The building remained empty until it was sold to Rauch Ministries in January 2008 and eventually re-opened as a church in July 2010.
The Erstwhile Gaumont State Super Cinema as seen in 2012
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The Cinema was equipped with a 4-manual, 16-rank Wurlitzer Theatre Organ that was opened by Sidney Torch. It was reputed to be the most expensive organ built. The cost resulted from the requirement of a number of features not present in other organs. For example, there were several rare ranks, including Europe’s only remaining Wurlitzer Harmonic Flute and 16-foot English Horn extension (both of these ranks had also been installed in the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ of the Gaumont Cinema Holloway, but this Organ was damaged during the Second World War and later removed and broken up). Adding to the cost was the special Console, which was of a unique design. The Console is narrower than that of other Consoles since it was required to fit on a 6-foot turntable located at the far right of the orchestral pit. As a result of its narrowness, a special Howard Seat had to be used to also fit within the turntable.
The Console with a Howard Seat (note the turntable that it sat on)
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For a number of years, The London and South of England Chapter of the ATOS held concerts here.
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2. THE WURLITZER THEATRE ORGAN OF
THE GRANADA THEATRE SLOUGH
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The Granada Theatre Slough in 1949
A 3-Manual, 8-Rank Wurlitzer Theatre Organ with a grand piano was installed at the time of building of the Granada Theatre Slough.
The Wurlitzer Theatre Organ of the Granada Theatre Slough
The Wurlitzer Organ of the Granada Theatre Slough was played by a number of great organists over the years. Reginald Dixon played it during the Second World War while he was stationed at the Royal Air Force Base at Uxbridge and made several gramophone records while playing it. Here is an example recorded in February 1942:
Classics of Swing
Reginald Dixon at The Wurlitzer Organ of the Granada Theatre Slough, 1941
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Len says that he and his father regularly tuned the Organ during the years following the Theatre’s deletion from the regular tuning contract of the Granada Theatre Circuit since it was still being used for concerts sponsored by the TOC. In addition, they had serviced the Organ on occasion including the re-leathering of some of the Wind Regulators.
The Circuit authorities eventually sold the Organ once it was decided to close the Theatre. Prior to the closure, the London and South of England Chapter of the ATOS sponsored a final concert to be given by Len and Douglas Reeve. Although the Console had now been moved off its lift and placed in a murky and dusty area in the backstage depths behind the screen, the Organ could still be played Len says that for one last time, the audience was able to appreciate the fine sound of this really excellent installation in its original home, despite only being able to see the organists playing as television images projected onto the screen. Len feels that this concert was a fitting all-round achievement for the Chapter’s volunteer crew.
On the day before the electricity source was to be finally cut-off from the Organ, Len managed to make a final recording.
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The Organ was removed from the Theatre in January 1988 by Len, his father and a group of volunteers. Len recalls their lowering of the dismantled Blower and Relays using a block & tackle from high up on the left of the stage from the Pipe Chambers. Once the removal had been completed, the dismantled Organ was dispatched to its new home on two five-ton lorries.
The Organ was purchased by a private owner in Sevenoaks, Kent and went into premises that were part of a petrol station. In 1991, it went into storage at Ivy Hatch, Kent with the possibility of it being installed at the (East) Malling School, which evidently did not materialise. In 1995, it was moved to Somerset where it was restored by Mr. Les Birch and his team and there was discussion about it being installed in a Ballroom venue. Seemingly this did not happen and the Organ was eventually sold to Mr. Don and Mrs. Dorothy Robinson who installed it in their home at Market Rasen in Lincolnshire.
Len says that he was lucky enough to play the Organ when it was at Mr. Birch’s premises and then again at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robinson where the Organ was maintained and played by resident tuner, Mr. Chis Booth until their passing. Following this, the Organ became part of a private collection on the East Coast of England. Currently members of the TOC are giving a helping hand in its installation here and it is hoped that the Organ will soon be in playing order.
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3. THE WURLITZER THEATRE ORGAN OF
THE GRANADA THEATRE TOOTING
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Len seated at the Console of the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ of the Granada Theatre Tooting
The Granada Theatre Tooting was the flagship of the The Granada Theatre Circuit and was fitted with a Wurlitzer Theatre Organ that had been installed at the Majestic Theatre in Sacramento, California in 1926.
It was brought to the Granada Theatre Tooting in 1931 following some modification and enlargement. Eventually, the Organ would have four-manuals and sixteen-ranks. Most of the famous UK cinema organists from the 1930s onwards played the instrument and many have made radio broadcasts and gramophone records while playing it. The Organ continued to be featured on the BBC’s The Organist Entertains between 1970 and July 1973.
In July 1973, London suffered severe rains and parts of Tooting became flooded including the Theatre. Once the rains stopped, it was found that the Organ remained under three feet of dirty water. Unfortunately, as a result of this tragic event, the Organ was rendered unplayable and remained silent throughout the remainder of the building’s use as a cinema.
When the Theatre became a Granada Social Club in 1976, the rake and seats of the auditorium were removed so that Bingo Tables might be installed on a flat surface. The building of the new floor resulted in the Organ being hidden under it in the erstwhile orchestra pit unfortunately still in a damaged state and unplayable.
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In 1983, the London and South of England Wing of the ATOS headed by the late Mr. Les Rawle was allowed to work on the Organ and it was returned to working order within a year.
In 1991, the building became a Gala Bingo Club, and following a period of consultation and fund-raising by Mr. Len Rawle, restoration work on the Organ began and took a number of years to complete. However, the efforts of the Chapter were rewarded with a grand re-opening concert held on the 22nd April, 2007 to celebrate this achievement. The evening was said to have been a rousing success and memorable for all of those lucky enough to have been in attendance. According to a report I read, the Mighty Wurlitzer rose like the phoenix from the ashes as it was lifted from the pit.
The organists that performed at the concert were Len Rawle and Kevin Morgan together with Doreen Chadwick (1919-2014) as a surprise guest organist. Ms Chadwick had been a circuit-organist as a young woman and mentioned that she had not only not played this organ in over 50 years, but had not seen it during this time.
Top Left: Len Rawle; Top Right: Kevin Morgan; Bottom: Doreen Chadwick
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The joy of the restored Granada Theatre Wurlitzer Organ was, however, short lived. On 20th July, 2007, the area suffered yet another severe rain storm, which overloaded the sewer system. Unfortunately one of the main sewers burst and brought flooding once more to the cramped underground pipe chambers at the Theatre. Although sump pumps had been fitted and the chambers were heated, the revenges caused by the elements had taken their toll on most of the 80-year old components of the Organ including the all-important Relay System.
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RELAY: This may be considered as the brains of the organ and likened to a primitive computer system. It consists of a number of switches that transmit the actions of the organist at the Console to the Pipe resulting in sound being produced (i.e. a note being played). The Relay allows the organ Console to no longer be directly and mechanically connected to the pipe chests.
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Sadly this latest flood has rendered the Organ beyond normal repair and Len says that the instrument needs to be fully restored away from the building and provided with a new Relay System.
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