Our organ builders are based in Burton-on-Trent.  They are a small firm, led by directors Mike Thompson and Simon Tipping.

Simon Tipping

Mike Thompson

Mike is a vastly experienced organ builder with over 40 years’ working in the trade.  Like all organ builders, he combines the skills of a cabinet maker, electrician, metalworker and leatherworker with having a finely developed ear and an understanding of acoustics.

Some 25 years ago Mike was engaged to remove the original Nelson organ (which is the core of our new instrument) from the Methodist church for which it was built in 1915 to a school in Derbyshire.  He cared for it throughout its time at the school and, when the school hall was demolished in 2009, he dismantled it and took it to his workshop for safekeeping.  In 2011 Fr Peter Jones, as diocesan organ adviser, approached Mike on behalf of All Souls and the decision was made (subject to testing) to use it as part of the reconstruction of the All Souls organ.  Keith Ainsworth and Fr Peter visited the workshop in early 2012 and viewed and tested the pipework and were satisfied that it was well worthy of restoring and that it would fit the acoustic of All Souls almost perfectly.

Mike, Simon, and Mat Kedracki (a piano technician and tuner who is also learning about organs by working with Mike),  with occasional support from Keith, started work in June 2014.

Mat Kedracki

The organ should be completed in early 2015, when Mike and Simon will then use their fine skills to ‘voice’ every pipe to get the best sound out of it in the Church and to make sure that all of the different stops blend perfectly with each other.  The organ will then be given a full tuning before it is ready for use.