The Sardis Chapel Organ – Past and Present

The Sardis Chapel Organ – Past and Present

This summer, we were delighted to welcome organ builder and restorer Martin Renshaw to Sardis along with his apprentice, Theo. Martin spent the entire day carefully dismantling the organ, cleaning and checking each individual pipe before replacing them. He also made detailed records of the remedial work needed to restore the pipes to their full glory.

The pipe organ at Sardis is by Peter Conacher & Co. of Huddersfield, a respected British organ builder established in 1854. Our instrument carries the serial number 877 and is believed to have been second-hand when it came to Sardis, although its exact origin and installation date remain a mystery. Sadly, no full stoplist or build record has yet been found.

It is also thought that the organ was refurbished by Osmond & Co., a firm well known for their organ rebuilding and repair work during the 20th century, but we do not yet know when this took place.

Martin, together with us at the Josef Herman Art Foundation, would love to build up as much information as possible about the organ’s history. Do you have any local knowledge, old photographs, documents, or memories that could help? Even the smallest detail might bring us closer to understanding the story of this important part of Sardis’s heritage.

If you can help, please get in touch – we’d be delighted to hear from you.