Rebuilding the George Street Chapel Pipe Organ

In January we recorded the rebuilding of the George Street Chapel pipe organ for Age UK Oldham.
It was returned to the chapel by organ builders David Wood of Huddersfield.
In August the Age UK Choir were recorded singing All Things Bright and Beautiful and Breath on Me Breath of God.
This version of Breath on Me Breath of God, 'Trentham', was composed by Robert Jackson (1842-1914) who succeeded his father as organist at St Peters Church, Oldham.

Portrait of Robert Jackson in Gakkery Oldham collection.

Drone over Jackson Pit

Spent this morning recording Lisa Thomson filming the George Street Re-enactors at the rear of George Street Chapel in Jackson Pit. Lisa and Louis brought along a drone helicopter to get some aerial views of the group.
We could find lots of applications for this great piece of technology.

Interpretation for George Street Chapel Oldham

Next few weeks will involve gathering together all the information acquired for interpreting the history, construction, alteration, use and conservation / restoration of this Grade ll* listed building for Agee UK Oldham.

Video for George Street Chapel, Oldham

Latest video as part of our work with Age UK Oldham for the restoration of the former Independent Methodist Chapel at George Street, Oldham.

New Slate Roof to George Street Chapel

Continuing our video record of restoration work to the former Independent Methodist Chapel at George Street Chapel, Oldham for Age UK Oldham. Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

New Stone Gutters at George Street Chapel Oldham

Yesterday spent a couple of hours recording one of the new stone gutters being put into place at the restoration of George Street Chapel, Oldham. Works being done for Age UK Oldham.

Latest video taken at George Street Chapel - Feb to April 2013

Our work continues at George Street Chapel from Age UK Oldham to help interpret the history of the former Independent Methodist Chapel.

George Street Chapel Pipe Organ

Our work with Age UK Oldham has been concentrating on the pipe organ.
We are now in contact with a similar dated pipe organ in Gympie, Queeensland, Australia who have a similar pipe organ with almost identical facade pipe decorations.
This newly re-photographed image of the George Street Chapel pipe organ has revealed more detail of the decorated pipes. It also shows the gas lighting and some painted decorations on the wall plaster to the side of the two windows either side of the pipe organ.

Pipe organ at George Street Chapel, Oldham
Independent Methodist Chapel
Harvest Festival 6th October, 1895

The pipe organ at Gympie was ordered by James Lord, from the same organ builder, George Benson, as the George Street Chapel organ.

Roof Construction at George Street Chapel

Draft sketch of the roof construction at the former independent Methodist Chapel, George Street, Oldham.

Vacuuming George Street Chapel

Having taken down the lath and plaster ceiling and stripped all the plaster of the walls the whole place is covered in dust - enter the industrial vacuum cleaner, with Ian the Site Manager from Lambert Walker. 21 March 2013

Links from George Street Chapel Blog

The work we are doing to update the Friends of George Street Blogspot site and the Facebook pages are being picked up by others.
MMS Organ Music Blog in North Carolina, USA has picked up the restoration work that is being undertaken with the chapel's historic pipe organ.

Video of George Street Chapel Organ Conservation

Our video recording ongoing work to conserve the pipe organ from George Street Chapel for Age UK Oldham.
The work is being carried out by David Wood Organ Builders, Huddersfield.

Decorated Wall Plaster at George Street Chapel

Decorated wall plaster uncovered during work at
George Street Chapel, Oldham.

Detail of the repeat pattern.

Work Starts at George Street Chapel

Scaffolding being erected in the first week of work
 to restore George Street Chapel, Oldham.

Sponsors meet the George Street Chapel Team

We helped to organise a meeting of sponsors and the team we are part of that is restoring the former Independent Methodist Chapel at George Street, Oldham. The meeting took place on Friday 25th January with the head of the HLF in the NW; Sara Hilton, the head of English Heritage, Henry Owen-John and Gavin Richard, the Development Manager of the Architectural Heritage Fund who administer the Andrew Lloyd Webber Challenge fund who have contributed match funding to Age Concern Oldham.

GSC Team with Sponsors

English, HLF and AHF
Henry Owen-John, Sara Hilton and Gavin Richards

Rear elevation, George Street Chapel, Oldham - Jan 2013

Front elevation George Street Chapel, Oldham - Jan 2013

Dismantling Pipe Organ at George Street Chapel

Work for Age UK Oldham, to monitor the dismantling of the pipe organ at George Street Chapel, Oldham. November 2012.

Dismantling the Pipe Organ at George St Chapel, Oldham

Spent two days 26-27 November watching the dismantling of the pipe organ at George Street Chapel, Oldham. Work was carried out by David Wood Organs of Huddersfield.

David Wood Organs, Huddersfield
left to right: Paul Rayner, David Wood, Michael Hynes, Michael Leadbeater

So many bits....

Video of Filming the Reconstructed Congregation at George Street Chapel

Our video record of the filming day at George Street Chapel on 30 September, 2012.

Filming at George Street Chapel

We spent today working with Julian Baum and Claire Duval of Take 27 filming at George Street Chapel for Age UK Oldham. To help with interpreting the history of the chapel we wanted to reconstruct how a congregation might have looked. The short section will be set about 1916 when the chapel was celebrating its first centenary year and will be inserted into 3d digital reconstructions of how the chapel was constructed and altered throughout its life.

Take 27 filming the 'congregation' at George Street Chapel.

Compilation photograph, piecing together all the shots of 25 members of the 'congregation' each shot in seven different places within the chapel to give the impression of over 150 people.
The final piece will be part of a 30 second video clip. 

Start of George Street Chapel Project

The start-up meetings for the conservation and adaptive re-use of the former Independent Methodist Chapel at George Street Oldham has now started. We are acting as heritage advisors to Age UK Oldham and are appointed to sit on the Project Management Team.
Two team meetings have now been held this week.
The first to gather together the FOGS - Friends of George Street who have already been working with AUKO's Community Development manager, Maggie Hurley to research the chapel, its people and he environment and history surrounding it.
The second a meeting with HLF and the Design Team set up by architects to the project, Lloyd Evans Prichard, led by John Prichard.

FOGS, Age UK, TAKE 27 and Andrew.

Age UK, HLF, LEP & MORETON PARTNERSHIP