Chelsea, in the Olden & Present TimesBryan, George
History
Chelsea, in the Olden & Present Times
Bryan, George
Chelsea (London, England) -- History
On the 22nd of January, 1818, the following resolution was unanimously
carried at a meeting in Vestry assembled:—“Resolved that this meeting
sensibly feels the propriety as well as the necessity of an organ being
placed in the parochial Church, and that the best means to effect this
desirable object will be by voluntary subscription, and that it be
immediately entered into.” A committee was appointed to carry this
resolution into effect, and Luke Thomas Flood, Esq., was requested to
become the treasurer, but, although a great many contributions were
received, the aggregate sum was insufficient for the purpose, and the
money was tendered back to the subscribers. This failure, and the offer
made, occasioned considerable amusement amongst some of the parishioners,
and many laughable squibs were printed and circulated. The most
ludicrous of these was a poetic effusion, written by a gentleman of
education and who was not altogether a stranger in literary circles. It
was entitled “_The Organ in the Suds_,” and embodied much of that wit and
humour which is so frequently displayed in “PUNCH.” Sometime afterwards,
however, the effort was successfully renewed, and an organ was purchased.
The two principal candidates for organist were Mr. Goss, then
comparatively unknown in the musical world, but who has since risen to
eminence as a composer, and is now organist at St. Paul’s Cathedral, and
Mr. Ling, who had become a great favourite with many of the subscribers.
The feeling amongst the friends of these gentlemen was very strongly
manifested, and the proceedings on the day of election were characterized
by much excitement. Mr. Ling obtained the greatest number of votes from
the subscribers, and consequently was elected. Mr. Goss, however, was
appointed organist of the New Church, when it was completed, by the
Church Trustees, agreeably to the decision of Dr. Crotch, Mr. Attwood,
and some others, who were requested to decide on the relative
qualifications of the candidates. There were a great many parishioners
present on this occasion.
From the Report of the Old Church Organ Committee, dated Feb. 16, 1819, a
copy of which is now before me, it appears that the entire amount
received was £325 4_s._ 6_d._; that the organ cost £200, and that the
expenses altogether were no less than 125 4_s._ 6_d._, including £24
4_s._ for a Faculty, and £25 to Mr. H. Bevington, for removing the organ
and keeping it in repair for twelve months, as per agreement. The
remaining expenditure was for necessary alterations in the gallery, and
for fittings, &c. The organ had been previously erected in a private
mansion, which will explain the charge for removal, and the sum paid for
the organ was considered at that time to be a great bargain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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