THE PIPE ORGAN
The Wesley United Church Pipe Organ installed in 1927
|
A pipe organ for Wesley was first installed in 1883 at a cost of $1,200. Originally a Woodstock tracker organ, it was entirely mechanical and operated without electricity. The bellows had to be pumped by hand to supply air to the pipes.
In 1927, two years after Ainslie Street Methodist Church became Wesley United Church, the congregation installed a magnificent new pipe organ built by the Woodstock Organ Company at a cost of $13,000. William Potter, the original voicer of the pipes, etched his name and the date “1927” on the pipes. Mr. Potter, who came from Britain, was known for his meticulous craft. He always dressed formally, often wearing a tie, and was extremely private about his voicing techniques, never allowing others to observe his work. (This information was provided by Deiter Geissler of Keates-Geissler Pipe Organs Limited in Guelph.) Unlike the earlier instrument, the new organ used electricity to operate the blower. The original 1927 console was replaced in the 1940s. The console currently in the sanctuary dates from that time and has an identical twin at Emmanuel United Church in Waterloo, Ontario. In 1978, the Keates Organ Company rebuilt the instrument, and it was rededicated on November 26 of that year in memory of those who served and were lost in the First and Second World Wars. 
Photo by Paul Eagles
Today the organ has 20 stops (such as oboe and trumpet), three manuals (keyboards), and a pedal board. Behind the visible façade pipes are approximately 3,000 pipes arranged in 36 ranks (rows). A set of chimes was later added as a gift from the Ballantyne family in memory of the Rev. Leslie R. Ballantyne, a former minister at Wesley.
Several improvements and restorations have been carried out over the years. In 1993, the trombone, pedal reed, and trumpet ranks (both swell and great) were sent to Casavant Frères in Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec for revoicing. In 1997, the reeds were rebuilt by Casavant. In 2000, the aeoline pipes were rescaled and revoiced by D. Leslie Smith of Fergus, Ontario, who also voiced the harp. In 2003, a string stop and harp stop were rebuilt and revoiced by Leslie Smith. In January 2009, the swell section of the organ was releathered by Keates-Geissler. Regular maintenance and upkeep of the organ are supported entirely by the Apple Corps. Thanks to this ongoing support, Wesley’s beautiful pipe organ remains in excellent working condition. |
Take a Deep Dive into the Wesley Pipe Organ
Join former minister Keith Hagerman on a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of the Wesley Organ Case and the Organ Loft. He also gives a close-up overview of the different stops and keyboards.