Friday 26 January 2018

A Guidebook to St John in the Oaks Jersey – Part 6

This guidebook is no longer available from the church, so here is a transcription over the next few weeks. Photos are my own

A Guidebook to St John in the Oaks Jersey – Part 6

10. The Organs


















Church records show that an organ, built by Mr. George Fentum of Beresford Street, Jersey, was installed in the church in 1850, although its exact location is uncertain. It was recorded in 1858 that the organ was tuned. By 1880, this organ was reported to be worn-out and beyond repair, the woodwork being worm-eaten, the leather perished and the pipes only fit to be sold as scrap metal.

For the next half-century, its place was taken by a wheezy harmonium. In 1935, the church was wired for electricity and in 1938 a Hammond Electronic organ was installed. This instrument survived at St. John until 1968 but then lived out the remainder of its useful life in another church in the Island.

The present organ was built in 1884 by Eustace Ingram of London and Edinburgh and was originally installed in Great Union Road Methodist Church in St. Helier. The only other locally-installed organ by this builder (so far as can be ascertained) was the original pipe organ in St. Lawrence Church, which itself was replaced in 1965. The 1884 instrument (of some 14 stops) was hand-blown, but in 1935, an electric blower was installed.

In 1938, a more extensive renovation was undertaken by James Ivemey and Cooper, including a new pedal board with pneumatic action, three additional stops and a re-ordering of the console. This, as now, remained on the right-hand-side of the organ case.

In 1967-1968, on the closure of the Great Union Road Methodist Church, the organ was bought for £250 and placed in its present position, a position which failed to take into account the problems of the organist's liaison with the choir. The present day insurance value of the organ stands at some £210,000.

Nothing was done to the organ when it was installed in 1968, and consequently, by 1983, it was obvious that extensive renovation was a matter of priority to preserve the instrument. An examination of the bellows showed that they were quite literally fit to burst. These had to be completely re-leathered at considerable cost. A new pedal board was fitted but, unfortunately, a plan to electrify the pedal action had to be shelved because of the high cost, although it remained a priority for the overall improvement of the organ.

Tonally, the organ had always lacked sparkle and to remedy this, the Vox Celeste and Oboe were removed on the Swell to make way for a Fifteenth 2 ft. and a Larigot 1 1/3 ft.

By 1991, the pedal pneumatic action had become increasingly unreliable, the leather work showing the ravages of time and in many instances the pneumatic motors were far beyond repair and needed complete renewal. The conversion of the pedal action to electro-pneumatic formed an important part in the renovation completed in 1992-1993. A Flute 4 ft. was added to the pedal, pipe-work extended up from the 16 ft. and 8 ft. stops, along with three electronically generated pedal reeds (at 16 ft., 8 ft. and 4 ft.), and Flues at 32 ft. and 16 ft. The necessary electronic circuitry, together with a large speaker measuring some 4 ft. high by 2 ft. square, were placed underneath the organ close to the blower motor.

These additions have improved the overall tonal qualities of the organ beyond measure. The pedal organ now speaks independently of the manuals, when required, and the console has been altered slightly to accommodate six new stop knobs.

The present specification is as follows:-














The church also possesses a Miller digital organ of some 20 stops. The instrument, which was given to the Church in memory of a former churchwarden and his wife, originally dates from about 1965 but has recently been completely rebuilt with digital circuitry.

The console is behind the choir stalls on the South side of the chancel, with two large speakers concealed behind a screen in the arch over the central crossing.

11. Kneelers and Pew Cushions

The Parish Church is a truly beautiful building and at the dawn of this new millennium a project is underway to produce new furnishings which will further contribute to the aesthetic attractiveness of this special place.

12. The Churchyard
















Sometime during the first half of the 19th Century, the churchyard was tidied up and some granite grave markers were built into the West boundary wall. Some old marker stones from the churchyard were also incorporated into the Parish cemetery wall, when a new entrance was constructed in 1993 (Sir Billy Butlin is buried in the cemetery, which lies to the West of the Church within walking distance.).



















The main gates of the Churchyard, with built-in poor box and Parish box (housing the official municipal notice board), stood originally on the corner, providing speedy access to Parish hall and public house!














At the foot of the steeple is the base of a wayside cross which came from Les Buttes, dated circa 15th century. A few metres further along the South wall are several large pebbles marked with initials, which served as home-made memorial headstones. The churchyard trees include both a number of yews - the traditional churchyard tree, and several oaks – once again bringing life to our historical name of St John in the Oaks.

13. Conclusion

We trust that you have enjoyed reading the history of our Parish Church and invite you to find out more about our life by visiting us on the World Wide Web at www.stjohnschurch.org.je

This account of St John's Church, by its very nature, is not exhaustive and the possibility is that it is not free from errors. Nevertheless, we hope that your final impressions will be those of the Psalmist, who wrote about the Temple in Jerusalem: "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!... blessed is the man who trusts in you. (Psalm 84).

St John, June 2000

A Celtic blessing on setting forth

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind always be at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields;
And, until we meet again, may
God hold you in the palm of His hand.
The Millennium Resolution:
Let there be respect for the earth,
peace for its people,
love in our lives,
delight in the good,
forgiveness for past wrongs
and from now on, a new start.

Acknowledgements

We are most grateful to Rev. Michael G. St. J. Nicolle B. A. for much of the historical research that went into the production of this booklet. We also wish to thank Mr. Roger Hibbeard of Rose Deep, St. John, for his invaluable assistance in the typesetting and editing. Photographs by Tony Bellows.


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