2013-04-28 - A relocated organ, identified by Ron Dossenbach, based on personal knowledge of the organ: The organ was originally installed in the residence of James Cooper in Walkerville, Ontario. It was moved to its present location in 1946 by Auguste Hebert, the regional Casavant rep. The organ fell into disrepair and finally became unplayable ten years ago, but now is fully operational, with all stops, pipes, couplers, combination action, and player action in working order. The main chambers speak down into the chapel through a ceiling grille. The console and echo organ are located in the balcony. The fully duplexed organ has 17 stops on each manual. There are 22 ranks with the g chimes and harp units. The organ has had no alteration of any kind since the 1924 installation. -Database Manager
2013-05-03 - Updated through online information from Ron Dossenbach. -- The organ was originally installed in the 40 room mansion of James Cooper in Walkerville, Ontario. Cooper became wealthy as a liquor exporter during the Prohibition years when such activity was legal in Canada but not in the USA. He was very generous with the poor of the area and developed many innovative farming techniques as well. The mansion was torn down in the 1940s and the organ was purchased by the Morris Funeral Home. Auguste Hebert, renowned Casavant rep, did the relocation. History buffs will appreciate that Hebert changed nothing at all during the move. Even the voicing is unaltered. The original installation located the main chambers in the basement which spoke into the main room through a grille in the floor and to other rooms through air conduits that Aeolian called tone chutes. An Echo organ was located on the second floor in the dance hall. Hebert located the main chambers in a third floor attic in the funeral home. These spoke through an opening in the floor, which corresponded to a grille in the ceiling. The console and Echo organ were installed in the balcony at the rear of the chapel. The organ was dead until for the last ten years or so until October, 2012. I was able rescue it. The original blower and its 1924 motor continue to operate. The organ is now fully functional. Even the Sforzando light comes on. The leather pouches and reservoirs are original. The unusual longevity is, I believe, due to the unvarying temperature and humidity conditions in the funeral home. The swell engines and several pneumatics were rebuilt. The player mechanism was re-tubed, as the original rubber tubes crystallized and became stiff and brittle. Many of them were long gone. The Duo-Art 176 note player is able to play organ rolls. These rolls also contain stop change and swell shade information and perform these tasks as well as play the notes on the manuals and pedals. -Database Manager
2013-09-21 - Updated through online information from Ron Dossenbach. -- The original location of the Echo organ was in the Great Reception Hall at Cooper Court. It and the console are now located in the balcony at Morris Sutton Funeral Home. -Database Manager
2018-12-14 - Updated by Ron Dossenbach, who maintains the organ. Manual I and Manual II have identical stoplists. Windchests are Aeolian Compound Chests. Each manual has its own primary and secondary action as well as its own stop action: 2 primary and secondary valves per pipe. -Database Manager
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