The Organ Blower
Behind the glorious sound of any pipe organ lies one absolutely vital ingredient: wind. Not the kind that comes and goes with the weather, but a steady, reliable supply that keeps the music ringing true, even as the organist pulls out all the stops—literally. A dip in pressure and you’ll hear it: a tell-tale wobble in pitch that no grand hymn can survive.
Once upon a time, that precious wind was supplied the old-fashioned way—by hand. Enter the Organ Blower, a dedicated (one hopes) individual whose job was to pump the bellows and maintain wind pressure throughout a service. This role often fell to a local chap, who would rhythmically heave the handle up and down as the organist played on.
However, human blowers came with... quirks. Some were unreliable in attendance, others inattentive, and a few were known to exercise creative control—limiting the number of verses or even refusing to pump for tunes they didn’t care for. Legend has it that some blowers, overcome by the sermon’s duration, would slip out the vestry door for a pint, leaving the poor organist stranded in silence come the final hymn.
Thankfully, the march of progress brought change. In 1934, Fletching took a bold step forward, installing an electric blower from Watkins & Watson—ushering in a new era of consistent wind and fewer pub-related delays. The original hand pump lever, a relic of yesteryear, can still be seen today.
Fast forward to now: as part of the upcoming organ restoration, it seemed wise to inspect the trusty old electric blower. Though it’s never let us down, a quick look suggested it hadn’t been serviced in quite some time—possibly not since 1973, when Walkers last overhauled the instrument. The wiring? Let’s just say it may have been vintage 1934!
Happily, Watkins & Watson is still very much in business. One of their engineers recently visited from Poole, and later this year—while the organ is temporarily out of action—they’ll be giving the blower a proper spa retreat back at their workshop. Meanwhile, the electrics will be brought up to modern safety standards, and a more suitable cabinet will be built to house this hardworking, wind-making marvel.
So when the music returns, take a moment to thank not only the pipes, pedals, and player—but the humble blower, without whom, there’d be no tune at all.