Shropshire Theatre Organ Trust

Welcome to the Shropshire Theatre Organ Trust

LISTEN TO JOHN BARNETT PLAYING LEGEND OF THE GLASS MOUNTAIN

DO YOU KNOW THAT ...

There is a real live WurliTzer theatre organ in Shrewsbury - at the Buttermarket in Howard Street, which is just at the back of the Railway Station. The Wurltzer has 3 manuals and 10 ranks of pipes (two ranks having recently been added by the Trust)

It was first installed in a cinema in Kent in 1937 and, after being stored for several years when the cinema closed down, the Shropshire Theatre Organ Trust brought it to Shrewsbury and installed it in the Buttermarket, where concerts of light and popular music are given on it on a Sunday afternoon each month by some of the country's finest theatre organists. These concerts are open to everyone.

The Shropshire Theatre Organ Trust is a registered charity whose object has been to bring the theatre organ to Shropshire. No personal gain is involved. Membership of the Trust costs only £5 a year and members enjoy a reduced admission charge to all concerts. The Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council supports the Trust.

Why not come along to our Buttermarket concerts and enjoy listening to the "Mighty WurliTzer" in a most friendly atmosphere? Concerts start at 3 pm (doors open early). Admission at present is £5.00, including car parking (£4.00 for members).

FOR FURTHER INF0RMATION TELEPHONE:
01902 490967 or 01952 882385
or email

The history of the Shropshire Theatre Organ Trust goes back to early 1983 when, as a result of a conversation with John Whiteley of the "Three J's" in Gomersal, West Yorkshire, our present Chairman, Tony Byrne, was encouraged to pursue his idea of bringing a theatre organ to the Centenary Theatre of Wrekin College (when Phil Kelsall played a Hammond C3 Electronic) and the enthusiasm which was shown for it was so great that a public meeting was then called for the purpose of launching a trust and of seeking a venue where a theatre organ could be installed. A home was ultimately to be found at the Buttermarket, Howard Street, Shrewsbury.

After a great deal of preliminary work, the Shropshire Theatre Organ Trust came into being in February l986 and has since become a registered charity. Its first Chairman was Ralph Bartlett, who in in 1938 had formed what was subsequently to become the Theatre Organ Club. Ralph, who did in fact hold office as that Club's General Secretary from its inception, gave both moral and financial support to the Shropshire Theatre Organ Trust and, since his sad death in 1987, we have missed that valuable support. We regard the Shrewsbury WurliTzer as being a fitting tribute to his efforts.

The Buttermarket was built in 1835 and, standing at the terminus of the Shropshire Union Canal, it catered for the increasing flow of fresh market produce brought into Shrewsbury by canal boat. Howard Street being on an incline, the building was on two levels; a lower ground floor comprising a brick vaulted cellar and an upper ground floor consisting of one large lofty room with an open truss roof supported on cast iron columns.

When the railway came to Shrewsbury in the 1850s the building passed into Railway Company ownership. In 1901 substantial alterations were carried out, but in 1950 the building was relegated to the humble status of a goods warehouse and gradually fell into decay. There was a proposal to demolish it in order to provide extra parking space for the adjoining Post Office building, but having become designated as a Grade ll listed building, objections were lodged and, following a public local inquiry, the Minister refused consent for its demolition.

In 1977 the Buttermarket was acquired by one of the Trust's sponsors, who, with the intention of converting it to community use carried out substantial repairs. Certain difficulties arose, however, and the building was again offered for sale. At this point, Mr Kerry Wycherley (one of our Trustees) acquired the Buttermarket and carried out further extensive renovation and restoration works which have brought the building up to its present fine condition. In particular, certain adaptations were specifically made to accommodate our WurliTzer and the Trust is greatly indebted to Mr. Wycherley for his generous co-operation. The building does in fact attract architectural historians and students from all over the world and was used by the BBC for certain sequences in their film "Oliver Twist". It is now a vast arts and entertainment complex and, particularly from the Trust's point of view, the cherished home of our Mighty WurliTzer.

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The WurliTzer Organ was originally installed in the 2322 seater Ritz Cinema at Chatham, Kent, and was opened by Harold Ramsay, then Musical Director of Union Cinemas, on 22nd March 1937. The console is one of only three WurliTzer organs to have the glass illuminated surround designed by Beard. Prior to the cinema being closed for Bingo operation, the WurliTzer was purchased and removed by an organ builder and was stored in his workshops until it was brought to Shrewsbury and built into the Buttermarket during 1988. It spoke again to the public on Sunday 4th December 1988 when it was played by Dudley Savage who had actually been only the second organist to play the WurliTzer after its original installation in the Ritz at Chatham. The organ has a full three manual console with ten ranks of pipes - Gamba, Gamba Celeste, Flute, Diapason, Tibia, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Kinura and English Horn.


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PHIL KELSALL, as a most worthy successor to the legendary Reginald Dixon and Ernest Broadbent, has been Resident Organist at the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool since 1977. In 1986 Phil accepted our invitation to become President of the Shropshire Theatre Organ Trust and we have been delighted to have his support. Phil regularly visits the Buttermarket to play the WurliTzer for our Anniversary Concert in January each year and for other concerts as well when his busy programme permits. He has also featured our WurliTzer on the sixth of his very successful series of videotapes.


2007
November 18th	CHRIS POWELL
December 9th	JOHN BARNETT
2008
January 20th	PHIL KELSALL (Anniversary Concert)
17th February	NICHOLAS MARTIN
16th March	DARRYL EVANS
20th April	JEAN MARTYN
18th May	PHIL KELSALL
8th June	SIMON GLEDHILL
20th July	ALITER KIERNAN
August	No Concert
21st September	PETER JEBSON
19th October	NIGEL OGDEN
16th November	JOHN BARNETT
14th December	Dr KEVIN MORGAN