Organ - Susamachar Presbyterian Church

The Organ

Overview

The haunting sounds that emanate from the golden pipes on the chancel of our church have always evoked an air of mystery to anyone who hears it! Indeed this near ninety-year-old instrument remains a source of pride for the congregation of Susamachar.

The pipe organ is a two-manual instrument (Great and Swell) built by Messrs. Hele & Co., Ltd. of Plymouth, England (now Midland Organ Hele & Co. Ltd.*). Each manual has a four foot rank and three eight foot ranks. There is also one sixteen foot rank and couplers (full stop list below). It was specially designed for the tropics, utilizing Burma teak and cost approximately £5,500.00 (in 1933) to build, transport and install. It retains all the original components, including the keys, bellows, the hand-operated pump and pipes.

(Written by Timothy E. Bally, BMus)

History

(Written by Timothy E. Bally, BMus)

In the late 1920s, when the congregations of the Scots Presbyterian Church on High Street and the Canadian mission set up at Susamachar Presbyterian church merged, the Scots Presbyterian congregation sold their lands and the proceeds were donated to the Trinidad Presbyterian Church. In the 1982 Anniversary book, Mr Errol Sammah notes that £500.00 of the proceeds were given to Susamachar, exclusively for the purchase and installation of a Pipe Organ. The Pipe Organ project was overseen by an Organ Committee, led by the Reverend Dr. J. C. MacDonald. The organ was installed and tuned by Capt. G. M. Hele**, one of the directors of Messrs. Hele & Co., Ltd.

Captain G. M. Hele

The organ being loaded onto a truck in Plymouth, England. The delivery instructions printed on the box state, ‘Rev. J. C. MacDonald, San Fernando, Trinidad, B.W.I.’

On the 3rd of May, 1933, the organ was dedicated as a memorial to the Reverend John S. Wilson, the last minister of the Scots Presbyterian Church on High Street before the Susamachar merger. At this service, Mr Charles A. Jack, Managing Director of Messrs. W. S. Robertson and Co., Ltd., presented the key to the minister, the Reverend Dr. J. C. MacDonald, who opened the organ. The first persons to play the newly dedicated organ were Mrs. L. Fitzpatrick and Mr. T. W. Gill, who rendered two organ solos*** at the service.

The organ being loaded onto a truck in Plymouth, England. The delivery instructions printed on the box state, ‘Rev. J. C. MacDonald, San Fernando, Trinidad, B.W.I.’

Naturally, with evolving technology, various modifications were made over time to the organ, including the addition of a compressor to replace the labor associated with the hand-operated pump, a light for the music stand, and in the 1960s, the chimes were added.

The organ leaving Plymouth, England to be shipped to Trinidad.

*Midland Organ Hele & Co. Ltd. (formerly Messrs. Hele & Co., Ltd.) was contacted for more information on the organ, but could not provide much information, owing to the fact that their records from pre World War II were destroyed during the war when an incendiary hit the factory in Plymouth, England.

**Capt. George Melvyn Hele (1892-1953) was a grandson of George Hele who founded the company in 1860. He served in the First World War, were he attained the rank of Captain. Capt. G. M. Hele was appointed Managing Director in 1936, taking over from his father, John Calvert Hele (1861-1938), and saw the firm through to 1960, when it was sold to J.W. Walker & Sons.

***Songs performed are unknown.

Stop List

Swell:

Gemshorn 4’

Echo Gamba 8’

Rohr Flote 8’

Violin Diapason 8’

Swell to Pedals (Coupler)

Great to Pedals (Coupler)

Great:

Flûte Ouverte 4’

Dulciana 8’

Clarinet Flute 8’

Open Diapason 8’

Swell to Great (Coupler)

Bourdon 16’

Organists

To date, there have been over thirty official organists at the church. Due to the age and complexity of the instrument, access to use of the organ is limited, however, exemptions are made through approval from both the Local Board and the Musical Director. Presently, there are nine official organists, six of whom are on roster.

Current Organists

*Mr Kevin Ragbir (Director and Principal Organist, Susamachar Presbyterian Church Junior Choir)

*Mrs Carolyn Bally-Gosine (Director and Principal Organist, Susamachar Presbyterian Church Chorale)

*Mr Timothy Bally, (Principal Organist and Assistant Conductor, Susamachar Presbyterian Church Senior Choir)

*Mrs Noreen Kallicharan (Organist)

*Mrs Rowena Wattley (Organist)

Mrs Ruth Sitahal (Organist)

Ms Nivedita Nobbee (Organist)

Mr Kendall LeeMack (Organist)

Mr Sean Sadaphal (Organist)

*Organist on active roster

Past Organists

Clara Alexander

Hamlyn Mike

Lily Fitzpatrick

(Mrs.) J. E. Beach

Grace Abdool

Bernice Lahouri

Jessie Hubah

Kate Mungal Niamat

Gladys Namsoo

Myrtle Debysingh

Jessie McDonald

Merle Ramjit

Donald Namsoo

Sita Jenvy

Myrtle Sammy

Pearl Sankarali

(Mrs.) J. C. Thompson

Pearl Lakhan

Sherry Santoo

Colin Persad

Anthony LeeMack

Janet Persad

Candice Persad

Brenda Armoogam

Tara Sinanan

Tara Adimoolah

Christine Mohsaheb

Carol Bhoopsingh