Cottingham’s church organ has undergone an extensive restoration (Spring 2026), thanks to a very generous donation from a village family, in fond memory of Sue Beadsworth.
The organ was built in the late 19th Century by prestigious organ makers Wordsworth and Maskell of Leeds. It was presented to the church in 1880 by Henry Burgess of Middleton, in memory of his wife Mary Elizabeth and her parents John and Mary Cannam. And in 1939, electric power was added, funded by a donation from Henry and Mary Burgess’s children.
The organ has been taken apart for a thorough clean of the pipes, keyboards, tuning wires, reeds, shallots, tongues, slides, guide pins, pallet springs, pulldowns, rollerboards, trackers and blower control valve.
Repairs have including ‘rounding out’ the metal pipes and removing any dents or splits; repairing and replacing leather stops and buttons, cloth washers and felt cushion pads; and patching the leatherwork on the bellows. Moving parts have been lubricated, with felt and wax added to the pedals to aid quietness, and the whole instrument has been finely tuned.
Faure’s Requiem, Good Friday, 3 April 2026
The first public performance for the organ following restoration was on Good Friday, 3 April 2026, when organist Philip Millward accompanied the Welland Valley Benefice Choir in a performance of Fauré’s Requiem, led by Darren Oliver as part of the Easter Vigil.
It was certainly appreciated by the large audience who filled the church, and this restoration will ensure that the organ will be able to fill the church with beautiful music for many years to come.
You can see a video, photographs and find out more about the Requiem performance by clicking the button below.