Music has been an important part of the life of St. Saviour’s from the very start. A harmonium was used to lead services until June 1875 when a permanent pipe organ was installed. This was the work of ‘Father’ Henry Willis of Liverpool –probably the finest organ builder of his day. Sadly this original organ was also destroyed by fire in 1945 but by great good fortune another by the same builder was acquired from a church in Bacup.
It is without doubt an important example of Willis’s work and acquits itself well both as an instrument to lead congregational singing and as a solo instrument. It has two manuals (keyboards) and pedals with 31 speaking stops. One of the first churchwardens was John Read who was a wealthy stockbroker and professionally trained musician who played a major role in promoting music locally. Read ensured adequate funds were made available to pay good musicians –when John Cox was appointed as organist his salary of £26 per year exceeded that which he received for teaching in the parish school.
Another long-standing organist was Richard Lumsden who was first appointed in 1939 and apart from war service, remained in post until 1973. For much of the time the posts of organist and choirmaster were separated and a number of musicians served as choirmaster.
Almost as important as the organist in the early years was the organ blower. William Day was employed from 1874 until 1911 to both blow the organ and act as caretaker to the church and hall. At his retirement (when he was replaced at the organ bellows by an electric motor –which broke down after a year) Day remarked that “I’ve blowed for sixteen organists with Mr Cox, and one of them was a lady female”.
Did You Know? The current organ was brought here in 1950 to replace one destroyed in the fire. Being built in 1870 it is actually older than the church!
