Note: Not extant. Not playable. (in this location)
2023-04-02 - Contract signed Jan. 28, 1882, to be finished April 15, 1885. The historic facade woodwork and pipes are extant, but this requires further examination to determine what if any of this instrument is still contained within the chamber. -Scot Huntington
2023-04-05 - The selectable builder-name biographies available in the Database dropdown menu is incorrect as to the dates of Steer & Turner and Steere & Turner. The contract for this organ from 1885 clearly states the builder is Steere & Turner (with a final 'e'). Until recently, there were two Baptist churches in Norwich: the downtown stone Central Baptist (closed 2020), and the older wood-frame Baptist church, later rechristened First Baptist with the establishment of Central Baptist. The Steere contract simply states this organ was installed in “the Baptist Church”. It was thought for some time that the Steere entry referred to First Baptist and Central’s first organ was unknown. Subsequent research cleared up the confusion. The Emmons Howard work list stated the company installed an organ in the First Baptist church in 1888, subsequently replaced after a fire there in 1942. -Scot Huntington
American Organ Archives Source: Steere ledger book 1885
Steer & Turner [J.W. Steer] (1885) Norwich Baptist Church Norwich, Conn. Compasses: 58/27 Notations taken verbatim. Mechanical action FIRST MANUALE Great 16 ft. Bourdon Treble t.c. full intonation, wood 16 ft. Bourdon Bass 1-12, wood 8 ft. Open Diapason largest pipes in front, very full and bold 8 ft. Viola da Gamba 8 ft. Melodia (Stopd. Bass) rich and mellow, wood 8 ft. Dulciana delicate 4 ft. Octave full scale 4 ft. Flute d'Amour very beautiful, wood 2 2/3 ft. Twelfth full scale 2 ft. Fifteenth full scale 8 ft. Trumpet very powerful SECOND MANUALE Swell 8 ft. Open Diapason full and bold, wood and metal 8 ft. Salicional delicate and crisp 8 ft. Stopd. Diapason clear and full, wood 8 ft. Aeoline softest note in organ 4 ft. Flute Harmonique brilliant, wood and metal 4 ft. Violin string tone 2 ft. Flautino clear and bright 8 ft. Oboe t.c. plaintive 8 ft. Bassoon 1-12 PEDALE ORGAN 16 ft. Open Diapason powerful and grand 16 ft. Bourdon deep and pervading MECHANICAL REGISTERS Manuale Coupler 1st Manuale to Pedale 2nd Manuale to Pedale Tremolo Blower's Signal Wind Indicator over Manuale for Organist PEDAL MOVEMENTS Forte Combination 1st Manuale MezzForte Combination [sic] 1st Manuale Piano Combination 1st Manuale Forte Combination 2nd Combination Piano Combination 2nd Combination Reversible Pedal to operate Pedal Coupler Balanced Swell Pedal
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