Introduction

The following pages are dedicated to my grandfather's reed organ, and will as the work progresses contain the documentation of its restoration. The organ is too important to me for its restoration to be a hurried bodge. Consequently, I estimate that it is going to take some time for me to restore. I am assuming that it will take at least a year just to document the organ's restoration requirements, so don't expext these pages to change rapidly.

Onwards.......

Albert Farley

My grandfather, Albert Farley, in his spare time played clarinet in a band and an orchestra, though we know very little about this.

The band in which grandfather played, (he is centre centre back)

Albert Farley was a Strict and Particular Baptist from Kent, and he played the reed organ at his local chapel in Paddock Wood. We know that he composed at least six hymns that were published, though we have never found any of the publications that contain them. In order that he could practice at home, sometime in 1912 he purchased a parlour model reed organ, that was built exactly to the specifications of the model he played on at chapel. The organ was made by John Malcolm & Co.

Albert Farley's Organ

The workings of this organ matched that of the one at the chapel, though the case was of the parlour variety. The chapel organ, more than likely was contained in a more rugged case with side handles for lugging the instrument around. Rather like the chapel model shown in Robert Gellerman's book "The American Reed Organ and the Harmonium"

Chapel model Malcolm Organ shown in Gellerman's book

Originally, there was a top on grandfather's organ potentially like this Malcolm offered for sale in Denmark recently:

Parlour Model Malcolm Orgen offered for sale in Denmark Recently

Unfortunately, when my grandmother moved into a cottage with very low ceilings, the top was removed, and, as is usual in such situations, was lost.

I assume that in order for the two organs to be matching, my grandfather purchased the organ from the same wholesaler that the chapel did:

Murdock & Murdock, 461 & 463 Oxford Street, London

It appears that this company had other branches, and I have a tantalising piece of evidence that they had a shop in Melbourne, Australia.

John Malcolm & co operated out of Erskine Road in London from 1891 to 1903, following which the company moved to Regents Park Road where they remained. In 1918, John Malcolm & Co merged with Alfred Maxfield, and continued in business until 1921.

As stated above, the organ was purchased, we believe in 1912. Its serial number is 41082:

It would be interesting to find other Malcolm owners who know their manufacture dates and serial numbers, I would then be able to confirm this, or get the accurate date. The organ came with a six year warranty, this was at a time when warranties were not legally required, so John Malcolm must have really been proud of his work!

Malcolm Organ

We hereby warrant this organ, class 99.00 No. 41082, made by us, to be in every particular a thoroughly sound and well made instrument, and we undertake to rectify any fault arising from unsoundness in the said instrument within six years of the date of manufacture.

John Malcolm & Co, London

This Warranty is issued to the party to whom we sell the organ and we acknowledge no responsibility to third parties

Owners:

Albert Farley	Purchase - 1931 (died of tuburculosis)
Mercy Farley (wife of Albert)	1931 - 1974
Jonathan Farley (grandson of Albert)	1974 - Present Day

Other Pages on this site...