Organ

The present organ was built by Conacher around 1879, during the 1879 alterations to the church interior. Parish records in archive include letters with specification for the new organ and estimates for cleaning and maintenance work from Conacher & Co and James Conacher & Sons.

A 1922 faculty allowed ‘the re-erection of the new organ in a new chamber to be made in front of the gallery, the lower part of the old chamber to be formed into a vestry, the removal of 4 pews in the gallery and the removal of a stained glass window in the east end of the gallery.’  The new organ was dedicated  at a recital held on the 12th December 1922.

The organ was later rebuilt in 1948. Details of the organ are available on the National Pipe Organ Register .

Further information about the history of the organ at St Matthew's can be found in the document History of St Matthew's in Section 2.3.

The Wikipedia entry for Conachers gives further information about the company. The original company’s Springwood works at Water Street, Huddersfield now appears closed, but the company has an address at Smithy Steads, Cragg Vale, Hebden Bridge, about 12 miles from Rastrick.

The St Matthew’s organ is currently maintained by J.M. Spink of Leeds. Malcom Spink R.I.P. and his sons take personal care of the instrument.

To see and hear the organ, click on this  Ralf Hansjosten and friends link filmed on iPhone 5C on their visit to St Matthew’s on the 1st March 2014.