Camrose United Church, Camrose Alberta
Woodstock 1930            Pole and Kingham Rebuild

In 2003, Pole and Kingham were contacted by Camrose United Church in their search for a used organ to replace their 1930 Woodstock instrument. Since, in effect, they already had a used organ we inquired further into their reasons for wanting to change. We realized that the current problems were related to the obsolete switching action and non-standard layout of the old Woodstock console, and some very minor water damage in one corner of the Great windchest, rather than inherent defects or serious deterioration.

As we had much experience with Woodstock organs which are common in this corner of Ontario, we knew what could be done both to make it into a fine instrument and to preserve a part of the church's heritage.

   [click on images to enlarge]

Shortly after Easter 2004, a group of church volunteers helped us dismantle and pack the entire organ which we removed to our workshop. We carried out all necessary repairs and releathering, and added new chests and ranks of pipes to increase the versatility of the instrument. The old horseshoe tab console was retired to a more useful role as a mixer desk for the church audio system, and replaced by a new drawknob console.

While the organ was removed, the church volunteers carried out major renovations to the organ chamber and choir loft, and provided an additional opening in the chamber wall so that the reinstalled organ could speak directly into the church instead of only toward the choir. 

Reinstallation:

Another group of volunteers assisted in the unloading and installation in October.  

Final Specification: II/18

Photographs courtesy of Darryl Dewalt and Hugh Irving
Church Website: www.camroseunited.ca

click to return to Organ Projects page