Organ

 Christ Church, New Mill, was consecrated in 1831, but there was no organ until 1857, when Forster and Andrews of Hull installed a two manual and pedal instrument in the west gallery.  

  This instrument was opened on 14 June 1857 by Mr. Walter Parratt who “exhibited astonishing ability” (Huddersfield Chronicle, 20.6.1857). The church was “densely crowded, every available nook and cranny being occupied, whilst hundreds were assembled in the churchyard, unable to gain admittance for want of room” (the church now seats nearly 400). In 1881/1882 the new chancel was built and the organ was taken down from the west gallery.  

Little information seems to exist concerning the details of the instrument installed in the new (present) organ chamber in the north-east corner of the church. Some records state that a new organ was provided (by Forster and Andrews), but it seems likely that much of the pipework was from the original organ. A third keyboard was added but with no stops – the hope was presumably that stops would be added as funds built up, but it is difficult to see how they would be fitted into what was a crowded chamber. This dummy keyboard was removed when the organ was rebuilt in 1947 by Peter Conacher and Co. 

 In August 1987, the organ chamber was flooded during a cloudburst, necessitating the rebuilding of the organ, which was carried out by Wood of Huddersfield. 

 You can hear him in action most Sunday mornings. For additional information take a look at Geoffrey's Blog