MEASURING SCALES:
Dear Sir, David Wickens interesting contribution (Comments on pipe measurements) prompts me to record my recollections of H J Normans practice. N&B principal scales were nominally I? but as the halving was on the 17th upper note it was l8th progression. The metal shop had a set of precisly engraved zinc rules - made by voicer Beech -each giving a progression rate ranging from 12 to 36 , the latter for reeds. These rules aided construction of a composite scale for some special situation. This sort of scale gave the early Walker big bass and wann-toned treble for acoustically unhelpful buildings. Rule Circumference
We also had engraved brass rules-Tf scales - for reading diameters from circumference scales. Some builders used much simpler means, an evenly spaced scale ladder, on which they marked the principal dimensions and the halving notes, then by connecting with a free-hand curve, they had a reasonable scale relationship, though distortion could arise. The paper strip measure of pipe circumferences is the usual way of measuring for tuning slides. I hope this may be useful history. Herbert Norman
BRISTOL CATHEDRALDear Sir,On page 4 of Reporter iv 2 there is a note on the cover illustration of the Harris organ at Bristol Cathedral. The last sentence that according to Pearce, The Chair had no pipes of its own, but borrowed from the Great "by communication". If I may be forgiven for advertising my own publications, I refer you to my article Bristol Organs in 1?10 in The Organ, Ivii (January 1979), PP. 85-90. On p.87 of this article I pointed out that according to Stephen Jeffrys Jhr., Organist of Bristol Cathedral from 1700 until 1710, the Chair Organ was built by Robert Taunton in 1662 (twenty-three years before the main organ) and was not borrowed from the Great. I think the confusion arose because Harris contract of 1685 did not incl-ude pipework for the Chair Organ. This, however, was not because the Chair Organ was borrowed, but because the pipes were already there. Dr. John L. Speller
BirminghamDear Sir,After reading your plea for material for inclusion in the Reporter, it crossed my mind that you may be able to give the organ in Brocklesby Church, near Caistor North Lincolnshire a mention, for the benefit of members who know not of it. The Parish Church of All Saints is on the estate of Lord Yarborough, and it con-tains one of the countrys most historic organs. It was built in 1775 by Thomas Knight as a one manual, (GG, no GG # to E) with one octave of pedals with open wood pipes. The only additions to the organ over the years have been the Fiddle G Swell in 1820 by W Greenwood & Sons, Leeds, and the Great 4 Doppel Flute on the edge of the soundboard, and very poor. Whether this dates from the same time as the Swell or not, nobody seems to know. The case is one of the glories of the instrument, again, its maker is uncertain but traditions ascribe it to either Chippendale, Sheraton or James Wyatt. This is an organ well worth visiting, as it is in superb playing order. It had a careful restoration a few years ago by Cousans (Lincoln), and more recently some necessary work was done to put the casework in order. Yours faithfully Lewis E. Paul
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