The Organ at St Thomas's was built by Bleecher and Fleetwood of Liverpool at a cost of £315. It consisted of a "Great Organ" with "Swell", with separate stops and keys. The pedals were limited to thirteen notes, and the two parts of the Organ were connected or "coupled". The specification was as follows:-
Great Organ:
Scale from G.G to F. in alt.
Open Diapason Fifteenth
Stop and Diapason Sesqualtra
Flute Cornet
Principal Trumpet
Twelth Pedals G.G to C.
Swell Organ
With separate keys. Scale- Tenor F. to F in alt.
Double stop Diapason. Stop Diapason
Open Diapason. Principal.
Dulciana Oboe.
Cornet.
The Organ was opened on Easter Day 26th March 1826, and was played by a Mr Roby of Wigan. Morning Service began at half past nine with the singing of the "Old Hundredth". During the service, the usual Canticles were sung and the first Anthem which was "Here My Prayer". The Communion Service followed and in this the responses were chanted and two further Anthems introduced, the first being "When the Son of Man". After the Sermon which was preached by Rev. E. Sibson, there was a duet, "Thou shalt open my lips o Lord". The service ended with the singing of the 98th Psalm.
The Evening Service was at three o'clock, the Preacher being the Rev. James Hornby, Rector of Winwick, and at this service no fewer than three Anthems were sung:- "My Song shall be of mercy" (Kent); Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord"; and "Sound the loud tumbrel". The Service ended with the singing of the 150th Psalm. To supplement the Ashton Choir, six singers were engaged from Wigan and one from Newton, and each was paid six shillings for expenses. The singing Master at St Thomas's, Mr Edmund Singleton, received £2 to share among the Ashton singers.
At a meeting held in the Vestry after the Afternoon service, voted of thanks were passed to the Rev. J.J Hornby and Rev. E. Sibson for their "very able, appropriate and impressive sermons", and to Rev. E. Sibson "for the ability, taste and judgement displayed by him in making a drawing for the Organ front, and working drawings for the builders".
It was also noted that at the services on this occasion, there were twenty collectors- one in the North Gallery, two in the West Gallery three in the East Gallery, ten on the ground floor, and four others who collected in the Churchyard but who were "requested not to go outside the Wall."
The first Organist was Mr. Wm. Houghton who was bound by an agreement to attend to play the organ in all cases of Devine Service. He was to play " soft and solemn music" and no "light airs" were to be introduced. He was also to conduct himself on all occasions as becomes an officer of the Church of England." Following Mr. Houghton, the following have held the position at various times since:
Mr T. Jameson.
Mr Wm. Ed. Wilkinson
Mr. Chas. Mather
Mr. Wm. Hayes.
Mr. Gerrard.
Mr. T. Cooke
Mr. A. Rimmer A.R.C.O.
Mr. R. H. Mather
Mr. R. Kay
Mr. E. Grimshaw.
Mr. F. Lowe.
Mr. E. Wilkinson.
Mr. J. Lyon.
Mr. P. Chamberlain.
Mr. E. Mathews.
Mr. P. A. Tushingham.
In 1827 a Vestry meeting decided that there should be a collection every year on Easter Sunday afternoon, after a sermon preached on that occasion, for a fund for paying the salary of an Organist. The meeting agreed "that a respectful request be made to Rev. E. Sibson to preach a sermon on Sunday afternoon, soliciting contributions in aid of the Organist's salary, and to permit collections to be made after in the Chapel.
In 1890, after resolutions had been passed at various Vestry Meetings, it was decided to have the Organ modernised and a specification was prepared by Messrs. Wadsworth of Manchester, at an estimated cost of £70. Before work began, it was also decided to renew the bellows at a cost of £10 bringing the total to £80. The specification prepared by Messrs Wadsworth and accepted by the Vicar and Churchwardens was as follows:
The instrument was to be made into a C.C or German Scale Organ. New pedals, 29 notes to be added, compass C TO E with coupler to act on the Great Organ, viz:-Great to Pedals. A new Pedal Stop to be substituted for the open Dispassion in the Pedal viz:-Bourdon, 16ft., tone, 29 notes, C.C.C. to E., with necessary sound board trunks and action. The Organ was to be thoroughly cleaned, regulated and tuned. The Trumpet Stop, which was unfit for use, to be removed and a Viol Gamba to be put in its place. The Oboe stop was to be re-voiced, New Keys, and a Swell to great coupler to be provided. The Bellows was to be repaired, re-leathered, and the creaking now caused by defective construction to be obviated. The whole was to be done in a workman like manner for the sum of £79-10s-0d.
The alterations therefore consisted of modernising the scale, extending the pedals to 29 notes, coupling the pedals to the "Great" Organ and also coupling the Swell to the same. This added little to the size of the Organ which was practically the same instrument as before, but made it capable of much better combinations. It was noted in the Parish magazine of October 1890 that to complete the work and make the best of the Organ, the Swell ought to be extended and carried through the Great Organ.
The Organ was re-opened on Sunday October 5th 1890, by C. M. Bailey, F.R.C Organist of St Catherine’s, Wigan. At the Morning Service, which was 10.30 am, he played the Overture in D (Smart), and "The Heavens are telling (Haydn). After the Evening Service, which began at 7.00pm, Mr. Bailey gave an Organ recital, at which the following programme was chosen:
Fugue in D. Bach.
Communion in F. Grison.
Fanfare. Lemmens.
Variations on "Come ye thankful people come."C. M. Bailey.
Offertoire in F. Batiste
"Hallelujah". Handel.
A large number was present at the Services but unfortunately there was no repetition of the first Organ opening when the collectors had to go into the Churchyard to collect.
Further reconstruction was carried out by Mr. Whitely in 1905 and the Organ was opened on Wednesday evening April 12th. The preacher was the Ven. Archdeacon Madden, and an Organ recital was given by Mr. Simon Peter Cooke., the programme being as follows:
Andante in G. Smart.
Fourth Organ Sonata. Mendelsshon.
Selection from the Messiah. Handel.
Barcarolle Sterndale Bennett.
Fugue in C Minor. Bach.
In Paradisium. Dubois
March "on a theme of Handel." Guilmant.
After this reconstruction, the specification of the Organ was as follows:-
Great Organ.
1. Open Diapasion. 8 Feet 58 Pipes.
2. Stopped Diapasion 8 Feet 58 Pipes.
3. Salcional 8 Feet 58 Pipes.
4. Flute 4 Feet 58 Pipes.
5. Principal. 4 Feet 58 Pipes.
6. Twelth 2+2/3rds 58 Pipes.
7. Fifteenth 2 Feet 58 Pipes.
8. Mixture Various 174 Pipes.
9. Clarinet. 8 Feet 58 Pipes.
Swell Organ.
10. Double Diapasion 16 Feet 58 Pipes.
11. Open Diapasion. 8 Feet 58 Pipes.
12. Dulciana 8 Feet 46 Pipes.
13. Vois Celeste 8 Feet 46 Pipes.
14. Stopped Diapasion 8 Feet 58 Pipes.
15. Principal 4 Feet 58 Pipes.
16. Fifteenth 2 Feet 58 Pipes.
17. Cymbal Various 174 Pipes.
18. Cornopean 8 Feet 58 Pipes.
19. Oboe 8 Feet. 58 Pipes.
Pedal Organ.
20. Open Diapasion 16 Feet 30 Pipes.
21. Bourdon 16 Feet 30 Pipes.
Couplers
22. Swell to Great
23. Swell to Pedal.
24. Great to Pedal.
25. Composition Pedals.
The number of Pipes is 1670. Of Stops, 25.
The attendance at the re-opening was not as large as was expected, but even so, between 500 and 600 were present. The Organ pipes in front were repainted and gilded free by Mr. Rigby of Bryn Street.
Until 1961 the Organ remained on the South side of the Chancel. In May of that year it was decided to place it in the side chapel and have it re-built with a new foot pedal board and new pump. The Organ was moved to the North Side of the Chancel and housed in the Lady Chapel. It was rebuilt by Charles Whitely and co ltd, of Chester at a total cost of £1,106-17s-8d, and rededicated to the Glory of God on July 8th 1962. In spite of July 8th being the first week of local holidays, the congregation attending the rededication and Thanksgiving service was very good, and there was also a fine attendance at the Organ Recital given by Mr. Ronald. Kay.
It is interesting to note that Ashton-in-Makerfield Choral Society whose founder and conductor was Arthur Rimmer, and which was founded in 1925, owed its origins to the Organ at St Thomas's being 100 years old the following year 1926, and indeed the society's first name was The St Thomas's Glee club. In 1925 it had been decided to celebrate the centenary of the Organ by holding a social event in St Thomas's Schools in 1926, at which a large number of past choristers were present. From this social gathering the senior members of the Church Choir solicited the help of friends from all denominations in the district and commenced to rehearse. All taking part became so enthusiastic that after the conclusion of the centenary of the Organ celebrations it was unanimously agreed to continue rehearsing, and various Churches in the District were visited and musical services rendered.. The society continued for many years and during its lifetime brought to Ashton people some of the finest Concert artistes in the country.
