The Grand Return of another Marenghi Organ
hello all, i'm just passing on an article and photographs from my friend Robert Heywood, hope you enjoy....... Ian Postlethwaite The Grand Return of another Marenghi Organ By R Heywood We were very very lucky and honored to have Frank Lythgoe's amazing 89 Key Ex Marshall Hill Marenghi at this years Cheshire Steam event which has not been seen for over eight years. This was the organ's first appearence in over eight years and considering it has been in storage in Warburton for such a long time it sounded great and it did not miss a single note. The organ is not at all new to me because I used to see it in the early 1990's when it had different decoration and when it was book operated so I have known it for a good decade or so. The organ last appeared in 2002 at the LLandudno Steam festival and since then it has been parked up in a yard next to Warburton bridge in Warrington. The facade and the two figure's known as ' George ' and ' Lily ' have been beatifully redecorated by a Mr Brindle who has decorated many other fairground organ facade's. The two figure's are amazing and they still work as well as they did eight years ago when I last saw it in 1998 even though George is a little bit stiff with his baton and he would not turn is head in time to the music either. Poor thing! I was lucky enough to have a tape recorder with me so I recorded the organ for a while and captured some of the well known fairground marche's that this great organ play's. The organ is on the midi system just like the 98 Key Marenghi with the huge bull fighter bandmaster and considering it is on the midi it still plays to perfection. The organ was being looked after and presented by Sam Bozson and his family who used to own an organ just like Lythgoe's Marenghi but this sadly got stolen. The organ trailer had not been driven or moved in well over seven years which made it very difficult driving it to the rally this weekend. The organ had to be driven to the rally at 15 miles per hour which is very very slow, it is very unlikely the organ will be attending Pickering Steam rally or GDSF but I should be seeing it again in four weeks time where it will be lit at Astle Park in Tabley which is a day and night event. The organ still has all its cardboard music books which you will see from the picture's below but these were not being used which was a shame. I am currently at a College in Warrington and on my way to the College I pass Frank Lythgoe's yard in Warburton where the organ's, engine's and tractor's are stored but I sadly never hear any organ music. I pass the yard everyday and it amazes me that I never hear either of the two Marenghi organ's......... I was at the event with ' White's Gavioli ' but I spent more time with the Marenghi this time round because the organ was making a rare but wonderfull appearence. I have spent most of my weekends with the White's Gavioli this year which has been great and its such fun operating it and being in controll of such an amazing organ. Whilst I am writing this I thought I would let you know that I am in the process of building a new Fair organ gallery website which is near to being completed. The site is allready on the internet and it has allready been viewed by a small number of people and so far it has had top marks and some great comments so it is hopefull. The site has 10 photograph gallerie's so far but I have high aims to add another ten on another website. Maybe Ime being a bit ambitious with 20 photograph gallerie's but I am a very determined young man and I will always work towards the impossible and try and show people the best of what I can do. Before I close this article I would just like to say how nice it was to meet Sam Bozson who approached me whist I was taking some picture's of the Marenghi where he introduced himself to me and he said he recognised me from the ' Keyframe Magasine ' which is nice to know. It is always nice when people acknowledge and appreciate your work and I do love meeting new people young and old as long as they are freindly and down to earth with a good sense of humour. I feel wonderfull today after being with one of my favourite organ's which I thought I would never see or hear again, it really was a great and very special day enjoyed by all and I will look forward to seeing the organ in a few more weeks. Look out for some clips of this organ on youtube in a few weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!! Edward Nickson has posted one from the Saturday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OXdoUZA3yw Please note that all the photograph's and the above article is strictly Copyright! Thankyou for your understanding and Enjoy the picture's................. R.J Heywood Picture's of the organ taken this weekend: Please remember that all the above photograph's and text etc are Copyright......... Thankyou........ .....................................................................................................................................

nice pics and nice video Eddy also! regards Adam PS : is it really necessary to mark all this "strictly Copyright" (sic)? :roll: PPS please feel free to plagiarize these comments of mine and pass them off as your own. If you make any money from them (and I sincerely hope you do!) - send me a fiver for a couple of pints some time! Cheers! :lol:

Thanks Adam. . i was just about to put the link on until i saw this posting. For strictly non copyright pics ;) check out my photobucket album, http://s52.photobucket.com/albums/g20/lopo_photo/ Cheers, Eddy

Whoa Eddy! That organ has really quite vibrant colours! Really nice photos! What's going on with the chicken on the drum? It looks like it's wearing glasses? Why is there a chicken on the drum anyhow? Is this some chicken / drumstick joke thing I'm missing? BTW : the picture of Robert (see above) has a been snapped at a funny angle - take another look : it looks like there's a big bright pink feather coming out from his head like some fancy hat or something (it's just the facade scrollwork behind though) ...but it does look funny once you see it! Very "Ziegfeld" LOL!