Peterborough Wurlitzer Site
The Installation
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A number of
venues to house the organ were considered, but were found to be unsuitable,
until the offer of the Main Hall in the Peterborough Technical College (now
Regional College) was made. This was made possible mainly thanks to the keen
interest shown in the project by the then Principal of the college.,
Mr John A. McIntyre. Installing
the Wurlitzer was an enormous task, as the hall was not built with this in mind.
However, detailed plans were drawn up to create what was
effectively three rooms, to contain the works of the instrument, comprising
of the Pipework Chamber, Blower and Relay rooms. In
addition, the organ console was positioned on a lift below the stage floor,
enabling it to rise, under the command of the organist to full view of the audience, in the
traditional way familiar to cinema audiences of the Thirties and Forties. The
task to install the Wurlitzer in the college and to restore it to first class
condition was completed in March, 1981,
when the opening concert was performed by John Mann. The Organ Crew as they
were known spent many hundreds of hours preparing for this event. It is a testimony to the
dedication of the Crew and other helpers that most of them are still
associated with the Society today - 20 years later |
